>I honestly think the discussion (land lines, versus cells versus fire alarms) is less relevant than a discussion as to what happens when the emergency is reported (by whatever means). I like fire alarms whenever a train, on site response team is lacking since the fire department, in general, know what to do.

I agree that pre-incident training is core to a emergency planning process that includes use of fire alarms in any scenario. However, maintaining a trained group of people in a high turnover setting such as a college campus is a significant challenge. This is partially due to the technical questions being asked here, but also because the responders will respond very differently to a familiar face than a stranger on the scene of an emergency.

The Lessons Learned report from the Dept of Energy's OPEX system ( https://doeopexshare.doe.gov/OPEXShareFiles/pdf/38918_SROT%20lesson%20learned%20-%20Final.pdf ) illustrates how a reasonably simple scenario can become confused. Responders need credible information to manage an emergency and part of the credible information puzzle is a known source for the information they are making decisions on. For example, in the incident below, it’s not clear to me if the BED has the expertise and access to the data to provide the information the response team was requesting.

This challenge occurs when there is turnover of people, both on campus and in the response services. Some response services are adequately staffed to be able to routinely visit high visibility places for emergency planning purposes. Others not so much. So campus by campus decisions about the best use of emergency notification systems are a key part of the RAMP process.

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
ralph**At_Symbol_Here**rstuartcih.org

Hanford Operating Experience Program

January 19, 2023
Lessons Learned 2023-ESH-001

Importance of Providing Clear and Concise Safe Route of Travel During Emergency Response

SUMMARY

A clear and concise Safe Route of Travel (SROT) is important to ensure resources from not only the facility/project arrive to an event in a safe and timely manner, but for resources requested from neighboring facilities/projects. If the SROT is not clear and concise the potential for responding resources to be delayed in arrival and/or exposed to hazards increases.

Lesson Learned: A clear and concise Safe Route of Travel ensures a prompt and safe response by personnel.

DISCUSSION

During a drill conducted at the Central Plateau Cleanup Company, the Building Emergency Director (BED) at the drill facility requested support in the form of a Radiological Hazard Assessor (RHA) and Chemical Hazard Assessor (CHA) from a neighboring facility. The BED provided the neighboring facility Shift Office Manager (SOM) with a Safe Route of Travel (SROT) for the requested resources. The SROT provided by the BED was general in nature and did not provide a specific route that would ensure responding resources would be clear of the potentially hazardous plume.
The CHA, concerned the provided SROT would put the responding support personnel into the plume and causing potential exposure, worked with their SOM to determine wind direction and appropriate route of travel. The vague SROT created a delay in response.

ANALYSIS

Safe Routes of Travel provide the means to ensure responding personnel arrive at an event in a timely and safe manner. When the SROT does not provide clear and concise information, the potential for delay of resources (or no arrival) and exposure of the responding resources increases.
Delays could impact the response to an event when response teams do not have leadership, span of control is exceeded, delay of field information being relayed for plume modeling, and mitigation activities could be delayed.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• When providing an SROT, the BED conveys all pertinent information that responding personnel would need to arrive in a timely and safe manner including a clear pathway to follow to arrive at the event scene.

REFERENCES
Integrated Contractor Assurance System (iCAS) Condition Report: CPCC-2023-0369

CONTACTS
Central Plateau Cleanup Company / Tawna Maiden, tawna-m-maiden**At_Symbol_Here**rl.gov / 509-372-0701

Published for Public Use
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Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
ralph**At_Symbol_Here**rstuartcih.org

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