OPERations
The Office of
Emergency Response
provides a statewide
response capability to
coastal or inland oil
spills or hazardous
material incidents,
involving any situation
that represents an
imminent hazard, or
threat of a hazard, to the
public health, welfare
and safety, or the
environment.
In This Issue
Director Introduction Mercury Information Forensics Team Clean Gulf 2013 New Grant from DHSOER Responders monitoring unknown chemical with Eagle Meter
Notes from the Director.
Welcome to our inaugural additional of the “OPERations” newsletter. This quarterly newsletter is designed to share news, best practices, signifi-cant events and training information with our staff, partners and stake-holders.
As we move toward becoming the Office of Preparedness and Emergency Response (OPER), we look forward to a more proactive role in outreach, planning and prevention. Although we have had a preparedness role for years, our new stance intent is to have more robust and collaborative inter-action with our partners and stakeholders to prevent and mitigate potential hazards.
We welcome submissions, suggestions and requests from all recipients (by the 14th of the first month of each quarter – i.e. October, January, April and July) to our newsletter editor, Amanda Hartsfield
Thank you to our staff of responders, whose 24/7 statewide presence makes Florida a safer, healthier and cleaner place to visit and to live.
Why is mercury such a big deal? I use to play with it as a kid… This is a question OER anticipates having to answer every time we respond to a mercury incident. So, why is it a concern? Let’s start with the basics.
Mercury (Hg) in its elemental state is a silver metal that is liquid at room temperature. Hg evaporates from a liquid into a vapor when the element or Hg compound is not properly contained. Exposure to Hg vapors over a long period of time or at higher concentrations for a short period of time can result in neurological effects. Children and developing fetus are the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of Hg. For more information on Hg health effects visit the following link: http://www.epa.gov/hg/effects.htm. More detailed information can be found here: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp46-c2.pdf.
Hg containing devices commonly include thermometers,
thermostats, blood pressure sphygmomanometer, antique clocks, etc. Often times OER is made aware of an Hg release after a citizen or facility notifies their local fire department. After the initial assessment of the incident, the fire department will typically notify the State Watch Office and request OER’s assistance. OER will work with the local first responders to determine the level of response necessary; which, will usually include an on-scene response in order to survey the impacted area with specialized air-monitoring equipment, OER typically utilizes the Lumex Mercury Analyzer. OER will often times work with other agencies – local programs, EPA, DOH, and ATSDR – to ensure the best service is provided.
To mitigate an Hg release the following steps are taken: (to be done by a professional cleanup contractor)
All visible Hg is removed from the impacted area.
This may include removing flooring, dry wall or other porous materials in the vicinity. Careful steps must be taken to prevent
spreading Hg from the impacted area in to clean areas; also known as cross
contamination.
A chemical binding agent is often times applied to the impacted area and allowed to react. After the reaction has occurred, the area will
be mopped and the impacted area will be treated multiple times.
After the majority of the Hg has been removed through these physical and chemical means, the impacted area is heated. Heat causes the remaining minute particles of Hg to vaporize. The area is vented to remove the Hg vapors
from the area being treated.
Heating and venting may take from several hours to a couple of days.
Throughout the treatment process the area of concern will be monitored to quantify the levels of Hg contamination. The amount of
contamination will determine what the next step in the cleanup process will be. Each response has its own unique challenges that will
determine the appropriate steps. OER is always mindful of properly disposing of contaminated materials.
Clearing a building for re-occupancy is accomplished through continuous air
monitoring or sampling, depending on guidance from ASTDR.
For information on cleaning up Hg releases click on this link: http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/
Upcoming
Training/
Exercises:
Nov 5-Jan 20th:
Executive Order
13650: Improving
Chemical Facility
Safety and Security
Nov 6th: 8hr
Refresher Course
Orlando
Nov 13-14: Clean
Gulf 2013 event
Dec 3-5th: 24hr
HAZWOPER
Chemical SamplingOffice of Emergency Response Forensics Team
The Office of Emergency Response (OER) Forensics Team is capable of supporting the full range of forensic activity including response to major environmental crime scenes with the purpose of providing expertise and assets to properly secure, collect and record forensic evidence. The OER Forensic Team, comprised of scientific experts with knowledge of procedures and resources to support forensic efforts, will work collaboratively with law enforcement officials throughout the state to construct a robust chain of evidence in support of the successful prosecution of those guilty of
environmental crimes.
Collection of environmental forensic evidence is ever challenging. Whether it is pulling samples from a 300-gallon tank in the back of a minivan used for fuel theft or, navigating the hazards of an
abandoned plating shop with leaking vats of chromic acid impinging on drums of sodium cyanide, sharp focus and attention to detail are essential to ensuring that the samples collected are an unassailable link in the chain of evidence brought to bear in any case.
The next couple of months will be an exciting and active time for the OER Forensics Team following the DEP Law Enforcement transition to FWC. Though FWC staff is aware of our capabilities, many may not be familiar with the specific skill set the OER
Forensics Team can offer law enforcement and efforts are underway to remedy that. Come the New Year, statewide Forensics
Coordinator Pete Wenner, will be taking to the road to introduce FWC and other law enforcement agencies to the world of forensics sampling. So be on the look-out, the Forensics Program will soon be coming to a town near you.
OER Awarded Department of Homeland Security Grant
The OER was awarded $80,000 grant from DHS to fund exercises
for the State Environmental Response Team (ERT) and Regional
Forensics Teams. OER responders with law enforcement officers
and professionals from Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission,
Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tallahassee Police
Department, Department of Health, Department of Financial
Services, and Florida Highway Patrol make up the ERT. The ERT
is a specialized team that has level A entry, criminal investigative
and environmental forensics capabilities that can be deployed
during an event where evidence needs to be collected in a “hot
zone”. The next exercise is scheduled for April 2014 at the Florida
State Fire College.
Report a
Spill:
When in doubt call the
State Watch Office:
800.320.0519
Petroleum spills
Spills into or
involving state
waterways
Spills greater than or
potentially greater
than 25 gallons
Spills requiring any
state/federal
notification or
assistance
Chemical Spills
All SARA/EHS/
CERCLA Releases
All spills threatening
population or the
environment
All spills requiring
evacuation
Boomed leaking boat ERT Exercise –ERT responders in Level A suits
Florida DEP Hosts
Clean Gulf This Year
The Florida DEP
proudly hosts the 23
rdannual CLEAN GULF
conference in Florida
this year. CLEAN
GULF is the
conference and
exhibition where oil
and spill prevention
and response
professionals get
together to network
with colleagues, build
new relationships and
keep up with best
practices and new
technology. The
conference will focus
on response,
prevention,
preparedness and
planning, information
& response
technologies,
deepwater prevention
& response, and special
interests. CLEAN
GULF will be held
November 12 – 14 in
Tampa, at the Tampa
Convention Center.
CSX Train Derailment
Significant Event of the Quarter
On July 25 at 1258 hrs a CSX train with tankers of ethanol (E90)
derailed at the entrance to the Port of Tampa. There was no fire or
injuries. Eleven tankers containing 30,150 gallons each came to rest on
their sides across the Maritime Blvd entrance to the Port, blocking all
inbound lanes. Three of the tankers were leaking ethanol from their
domes. The Tampa Fire Department suppressed all vapors with copious
amounts of Alcohol Type Concentrate (ATC) fire fighting
foam. Approximately 5500 gallons of ethanol was discharged before
SWS (contractor) secured the leaks. E90 is ethanol denatured with 10%
gasoline. Much of the discharge was contained in adjacent drainage
ditches. Some may have entered a storm drain leading to the bay. SWS
will continue to remediate contaminated surface water and soil. CSX is
in the process of up-righting the overturned tank cars. Vehicular traffic
in an out of the Port has been rerouted through the exit gate. OER
Tampa joined the Unified Command and is maintaining a presence on
Contact Us
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Office of Emergency Response 3900 Commonwealth Blvd. MS 659 Tallahassee, FL 32399 850.245.2010 [email protected] Visit us on the web at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/ oer/default.htmOffice of Emergency Response
Tallahassee (HQ) 850.245.2010
Pensacola
850.595.8300
(CST)
Jacksonville
904.256.1700
Orlando
407.897.4341
Tampa
813-470-5954
Ft.
Myers
239.344.5600
Boca
Raton 561.393.5877
Marathon
305.289.7071
Hotlinks:
Florida Oil spill Toolkit: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/oer/files/oilspill_toolkit/spill_plan.pdf
Contractors: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/oer/contractors.htm
Federal EPA: http://www.epa.gov/
Division of Emergency Management: http://www.floridadisaster.org/index.asp
National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/