EM 301 Introduction to Hazardous Materials Preparedness

www.all-hazards.com

EM 301 Introduction to Hazardous Materials Preparedness

What You Get: Over 56 pages including the Appendices.

See some Sample Test Questions

The course provides an introduction to the topic of hazardous materials response. Training will help students, regardless of their job title, to:

Understand the scope of the hazardous materials problem in our country and the dangers associated with response activities.
Explain the purpose and benefits of a comprehensive and integrated approach to local hazardous materials planning and operations.
Define basic terminology and concepts used in hazardous materials planning and response.
Identify functions performed by the hazardous materials response system.
Describe the roles and responsibilities of various organizations in the hazardous materials response system.
Describe broad strategic goals and basic steps in an analytical and action planning process for hazardous materials response operations.
Integrate their actions with those of other responders in an actual or simulated hazardous materials emergency.
Identify individual information and training needs, available resources, and sources of assistance.

PREREQUISITE TRAINING

The course builds on information contained in Hazardous Materials: A Citizen's Orientation IS-5. This course is designed to provide members of the public with a general introduction to hazardous materials topics and issues. IS-5 covers the basic principles of toxicology and human health, related legislation and regulations, recognizing the presence of hazards, community preparedness for hazardous materials incidents, and hazardous materials in the home.

Note: This independent study course is available to download from here. It is recommended you be familiar with this document but it is not necessary to enroll in this EM 301.

Participants are assumed and expected to have achieved the instructional objectives of the independent study coursebefore taking this course.

In particular, participants should understand the responsibilities of key federal agencies: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of Labor (DOL).

Students should also be familiar with the tapestry of laws that regulate various aspects of hazardous materials planning and response. These include:

Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA)
The National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA)
The Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA)
The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Pesticides legislation: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)
The Clean Air Act (CCA)
The Clean Water Act (CWA)
The Safe Drinking Water Act
The Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act (HMTUSA)

COURSE STRUCTURE

The materials are divided into two separate but related modules:

Module I: The Local Response System provides an overview of the local hazardous materials response system. The scope of the hazardous materials problem is described, and roles and responsibilities of different groups are identified. Broad functional categories that describe requirements of the system are reviewed as a framework for understanding what happens at hazardous materials incidents.
Module II: The Local Response Process builds on this foundation, providing progressively more detail on hazardous materials operational principles and practices. Basic concepts of hazardous materials response are examined. A systematic process for analyzing response requirements is presented.

The course is not intended to provide "skills" training or to fulfill requirements mandated by current regulations and standards for any group of responders. Rather, training provides a broad audience with a general understanding of hazardous materials response activities and guidelines for applying that knowledge in their unique situations.

SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS

A simple form of exercise, during which a typical emergency situation is discussed with a focus on reviewing related plans and procedures, is called a:

a. drill
b. functional exercise
c. tabletop exercise
d. simulation exercise

Live microorganisms or their toxins that cause disease in humans are known as:

a. radiation hazards
b. asphyxiation hazards
c. chemical hazards
d. etiologic hazards

Government publications used in this document have been electronically transcribed by
International Disaster/Fire Training Institute, Inc.
Sources used to develop these courses are public domain documents.