Boston MA HAZMAT Incident 5/9/13

mack

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Response at 1:08 pm to 1010 Mass Ave. 4th floor to the Fire Prevention office. This is a city office building. An envelope was opened containing a powder substance. Area isolated and 4th floor evacuated.  6 story city office building. 4th floor houses fire prevention and building dept. This floor is where permits are processed. Haz Mat Team entered, used meters to check air quality, packaged up envelope and transported to State Lab. Police to investigate







BFD Hazmat Response Pattern:
http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/emba/hazmat.html

http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/22208509/2013/05/09/boston-hazmat-teams-respond-to-city-building

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/05/09/fire-department-office-evacuated-after-suspicious-powder-found/EohmSnHSp0Iz9zcX77yZPI/story.html
 
  On the Bosto Haz Mat response Level 2 it list Engs 22,33,53, Lads 15,16. Are these Haz Mat trained companies that respond to all Level 2 incidents ?
 
Willy D - yes.  Units listed are Hazmat companies. 

This video shows BFD E 33, L 15 and the 5th L 15 FF driving the Hazmat Response Vehicle immediately after the Marathon bomb exploded. (Units were parked across the street from their quarters about a block away from the 2nd blast.)

Boston Fire responding to Marathon Bombing


This is response listed on BFD FF Union 718 site:

BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE



LEVEL O (Zero)

DEFINITION:

A LEVEL 0 (Zero) Incident is a report of a spill of less than ten (10) gallons of a petroleum product ie. gasoline, diesel, oil, fuel oil, etc.

RESPONSE:

1 Engine Company

1 Ladder Company

NOTIFICATIONS:

District Chief



LEVEL 1

DEFINITION:

A LEVEL 1 Incident is a report (or threat) of a spill of 10 to 50 gallons of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel oil, fuel oil, etc., and spills from transformers or capacitors on a utility pole. This would include motor vehicles in the water.

RESPONSE:

1 Engine Company

1 Ladder Company

HazMat Unit

HazMat Specialist

District Fire Chief

(If the incident involves a motor vehicle in the water the following will also respond:)

On duty BFD Divers

BFD Scuba Unit J-20

Technical Specialist

Engine 39 with the Decon Supply Unit

NOTIFICATIONS:

None.



LEVEL 2

DEFINITION:

A LEVEL 2 Incident is defined as a report of:

- A spill in excess of 50 gallons of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel oil, fuel oil, etc.;

- unconfirmed reports of chemical spills, leaking containers, process malfunction accidents;

- fires producing irritating, corrosive or flammable vapors or other hazardous conditions.

RESPONSE:

1 Engine Company

1 Ladder Company

HazMat Unit

HazMat Specialist

District Fire Chief

1 HazMat Team (10 Trained members)

Special Unit (If Requested)

Decon Supply Unit

Mobile Decon Unit

Decon Engine Company

Deputy Fire Chief

HazMat Chief

Safety Chief

Title III Officer

Field Command Post

NOTIFICATIONS:

Deputy Fire Chief (Division Commander)

Training Division Deputy Fire Chief

Deputy Fire Chief Planning & Homeland Security

Special Operations Command HazMat Chief

EMS District Fire Chief

On duty BEMA (Boston Emergency Management Agency) Officer

Boston Police Special Hazards Inspector

Department Chemist (or designated alternate) for reports of incidents involving chemicals (or requested by IC)



LEVEL 3

DEFINITION:

A LEVEL 3 Incident is defined as having at least one of the three key components as follows:

- Materials or conditions which require the use of the chemical protective clothing,

- The evacuation of areas and buildings adjacent to the chemical emergency

- Extreme conditions necessitating additional equipment and specially trained personnel.

RESPONSE:

1 Engine Company

1 Ladder Company

HazMat Unit

HazMat Specialist

District Fire Chief

1 HazMat Team (10 Trained members)

Special Unit (If Requested)

Decon Supply Unit

Mobile Decon Unit

Decon Engine Company

Deputy Fire Chief

HazMat Chief

Safety Chief

Title III Officer

Field Command Post

Deputy Fire Chief Strategic Planning

Decon Chief

SOC HazMat Chief/Officer

Fire Investigation Unit (Including K7)

NOTIFICATIONS:

Chief of Field Operations

Emergency Management Division Deputy Fire Chief

Training Division Deputy Fire Chief

On duty BEMA (Boston Emergency Management Agency) Officer

EMS Fire Chief

Department Chemist or his designated alternate

Boston Police Special Hazards Inspector



EXCERPTS FROM THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOP) 53

"FIRES, SPILLS AND OTHER EMERGENCIES INVOLVING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS"
 
Thank you.

I haven't been up to Boston in awhile. I didn't realize that Boston had these companies specially trained in HazMat.

Times have sure changed since I used to visit that city about once every three months for a Buff/Sparking trip. It was a place called "whip city" because of all the large whip antennas on the cars. Those antennas were good for 33.74 mhz, Bostons fire channel.

For those who know Boston, it was at Mass Ave and South Hampton St. The shops and Eng 43/Lad 20 (R.I.P.) were right around the corner.

Today, just as most large US cities, Boston needs a Haz Mat team of specially, well trained firefighters.

  Well, it's 4:30 am. I'm not at the firehouse back from a run. I don't have to do that anymore. I thought I could sleep when I retired. Not true. I just got up for a pee pee call. And that's not the first time tonight. I'm sure there's a few on here that can relate.  Time to go back for a few more winks. "Good night all".
 
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