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Comprehensive Hazardous Materials Emergency
Response
Capabilities Assessment Program (CHER-CAP)
 Puritan Products, Inc. hosted the first CHER-CAP exercise in EPA region III. CHER-CAP is a community training and evaluation tool performed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and designed to assess the ability of a community to manage and orchestrate a response to a mass disaster.
FEMA asked companies who are members of the Lehigh County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) to consider hosting the CHER-CAP exercise and Puritan Products volunteered. The decision to host the exercise meant that Puritan would provide facility access to a variety of government agencies including FEMA, EPA, OSHA, and DOT. In addition, the media and general public would have access to our facility.
SCENARIO
This exercise consisted of simulating a crime scene, fire, chemical release due to an explosion and, human injuries—a mass disaster. The scenario was set up with the following series of events:
- A person gains access to the facility and shoots a forklift driver with a rifle.
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The forklift runs into two 500 gallon storage tanks of a hazardous and flammable solvent causing a flash fire and a chemical release of approximately 25 gallons per minute
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Multiple injuries affecting 40 people occurred as a result of the fire and chemical explosion.
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Some were struck and impaled by structural fragments such as pallets and pieces of the 500 gallon storage tanks
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Some were burned
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Some were contaminated with the solvent
- To simulate realistic injuries, theatrical make-up was used to represent the various “injuries”.
PURPOSE
Since the scenario represented all facets of a mass disaster, the purpose of this exercise was to evaluate the preparedness of the following organizations and their ability to work together to manage and orchestrate a response to a mass disaster:
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Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) emergency response teams
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Local hospitals and emergency medical personnel
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Local police, crime investigation, and fire organizations
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The county coroner
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The local chapter of the Red Cross
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Local mass transit organizations
OUTCOME
Independent evaluators from non-participating emergency response organizations were assigned to critique the performance of their peers with matching expertise.
- All involved organizations had the opportunity to experience
a realistic mass disaster and test their plans and systems in a
comprehensive exercise.
- A report was prepared by FEMA and the Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency (PEMA) outlining evaluator observations and recommendations
for improvement.
- Paved the way for other businesses to partner with their communities
in promoting hazard awareness and emergency response training.
EVENT PHOTOS
 
  
 
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