Key Planning Factors for a Chemical Incident

The Key Planning Factors (KPFs) were devised to assist in identifying the numerous considerations that should inform planning and preparedness activities for the response to and recovery from a chemical incident. They provide guidance for addressing the “core capabilities” outlined in the Oil and Chemical Incident Annex to the Interagency Operational Plans, February 2021 (OCIA) and fall into seven categories:

Figure 25: Industrial chemical plants - potential sites of chemical incidents - are located throughout the U.S. — Figure 25: Industrial chemical plants – potential sites of chemical incidents – are located throughout the U.S.

The challenges posed by a chemical incident and corresponding response and recovery strategies will be largely dependent on the substance released—for example, its potential to cause human injury or environmental harm, the existence or lack thereof of specialized medical countermeasures for the treatment of exposures and/or injuries, and/or its potential to persist as a long-term contaminant. Since the number of chemical substances in use with the potential to cause such challenges numbers in the thousands, likely the tens of thousands, no one document can discuss planning factors for response and recovery activities that specifically address all chemicals of concern. Instead, Key Planning Factors and Considerations for Response to and Recovery from a Chemical Incident takes a broad approach to planning for response to and recovery from a chemical incident, making it a helpful resource in a wide range of situations.