6.4. Develop and Deploy Training, Exercises, and Response Support Materials

Without repeated training and exercises, a coordinated and swift response, even utilizing a well-planned CONOPs, is unlikely to be successful. Promote community and responder readiness by developing chemical incident-specific training materials, executing chemical incident-specific training exercises, and distributing chemical incident-specific response guides, for example:

Training programs to educate first responders on toxidromes associated with top threats
Exercising decision-making under stressful conditions and with incomplete information
Work aids, decision trees, and checklists for wide distribution, because high-consequence chemical incidents are infrequent
Testing and exercising different messaging and communications formats and strategies
Training for first responders and educational programs for the community on how to evacuate or shelter-in-place
Training for first responders on supporting individuals with disabilities during response activities
Advanced life support training for HazMat personnel, and HazMat training for first responders such as EMS and law enforcement personnel
Training for personnel to Chemical Technician-level, OSHA 1910.120, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standards
Expanded capabilities for the regional HazMat team, including the linking of practice and technology solutions to encourage early event recognition

Figure 29: Members of the Presidio of Monterey Fire Department, Salinas Fire Department, and 95th Civil Support Team participate in a HazMat exercise

Consider

What will you need to know?

Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21) delineates 16 critical infrastructure sectors. Which ones are operational in your region?
- Chemical
- Commercial Facilities
- Communications
- Critical Manufacturing
- Dams
- Defense Industrial Base
- Emergency Services
- Energy
- Financial Services
- Food and Agriculture
- Government Facilities
- Healthcare and Public Health
- Information Technology
- Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
- Transportation Systems
- Water and Wastewater Systems

Are there any infrastructure coordinating councils that need to be consulted for planning?
How will critical infrastructure assessments be coordinated and conducted?
How will you know the status of critical infrastructures?
- Critical infrastructure facilities?
- Critical infrastructure workforces?
- Critical infrastructure logistics?
For each critical infrastructure in your region, what will you do to address issues such as workforce and/or resource limitations, or cleanup and/or remediation?
Within healthcare and public health, how will you know the status of critical services facilities and their providers?
- Medical and public health?
- Behavioral health?
- Social services?
How will you know about any supply chain logistics issues?
How will you determine the status of SLTT operations?
- How will you mitigate actual or potential resource shortfalls of the affected state(s)?
Are there existing regional agreements that will influence and/or inform your chemical incident planning efforts?
- What are the existing Emergency Management Assistance Compacts (EMACs) – national interstate mutual aid agreements that enable states to share resources during times of disaster – in your region?
How do regional plans, including exercises and lessons learned, influence and/or inform your chemical incident planning efforts? Check the local and regional all-hazards plans for information on partnerships with entities for:
- Laboratory operations
- Field operations
- Public health operations
- Emergency management
- Law enforcement
- First responders
- Facility owners

What are the most vulnerable populations? Daycare centers, pre-schools, senior citizen centers. What are the locations of potential chemical incidents? Industrial, agricultural and transportation sites. What are the local capabilities? Trained personnel, healthcare/medical services, decision-making systems, waste management. What are the locations of critical infrastructure? Energy, transportation, water/wastewater and communication sectors. Emergency services, food/agriculture, healthcare and government fa — View full-sized image.