HATS (Hazards Analysis Toxic Substances)

Response Capability Preparedness Checklist

Use the following checklist to assess your degree of preparedness
and your response capability. 
  
  
1. Hazards Analysis
  
     a.   Completed
     b.   If completed, updated (if no hazards analysis, see #2)
     c.   Location, quantity, types of hazardous materials within
          area identified including transportation routes
          (hazards identification)
     d.   Nature of hazards most likely to occur determined
          (hazards identification)
     e.   Local vulnerability to injury and damage assessed,
          including geographical areas, population, critical
          facilities (vulnerability analysis)
     f.   Historical data on release incidents collected and
          evaluated (risk analysis)
     g.   Probability of damage or injury occurring assessed
          (risk analysis)
     h.   Probability of occurrence of a release and simultaneous
            incident evaluated (risk analysis)
     i.   Type of harm to people ascertained (risk analysis)
  
  
2.   Authority 
  
     a.   Existence of clear authorities for planning and
          response activities determined
     b.   Command and control responsibilities among different
          organizations/persons delegated
     c.   Agency(ies)/persons with overall direction and
          coordination responsibilities identified
     d.   Agency(ies)/persons that will provide technical support
          and the type of support they will provide specified
     e.   Agency(ies)/persons with authority to evacuate
          identified
     f.   Limitation on legal authority(ies) examined
  
  
3.    Financial Structure
  
     a.   Sources for funding planning efforts identified
     b.   Overall financial needs assessed
     c.   Strategy to finance preparedness activities developed,
          including plans to seek funds from private industry and
          public entities
     d.   Ways to consolidate or share costs with other
          interested parties explored
     e.   Means of raising additional funds pursued
  
  
4.   Organizational Structure
  
     a.   Following organizations included in emergency
          management activities, including effort to locate
          assistance if not available locally:
                 -    labs, private consultants,
                      colleges/universities
                 -    health
                 -    public safety (fire, police, rescue)
                 -    transportation
                 -    public works
                 -    emergency management
                 -    environmental organizations
                 -    natural resource (water and air quality)
                 -    education system
                 -    private sector (trade, industry)
                 -    labor
     b.   Responsibilities for planning, response, and
          post-response activities determined for each entity
          listed in 4a.
     c.   Command and control responsibilities assigned to one
          organization/person
     d.   Chain of command through all levels of operation
          established
     e.   Governmental vs. non-governmental roles delineated,
          understood, and instituted
     f.   Planning and coordination meetings scheduled regularly
     g.   Simulation exercises conducted within the last year to
          test organization/local capability
     h.   Limitations on organizational capability identified
     i.   Trained and equipped incident commanders identified and
          provided with necessary authority
  
  
5. Communication
  
     a.   Information -- General
          1.   System for sharing information among all concerned
               identified (including an alternate system)
          2.   Information sharing system tested regularly
          3.   Central information clearinghouse set up
          4.   System to carry out public information activities
               established
          5.   An individual or organization to speak with the
               media designated
          6.   Telephone rosters established, including
               mechanisms by which to update them
          7.   Communication link with an Emergency Broadcast
               System point of entry (CPCS-1) station arranged
     b.   Information -- Incident Specific
          1.   Process for coordinating information during a
               response determined and practiced
          2.   Person/organization to coordinate communication
               designated
          3.   Radio frequencies to facilitate communication
               among local entities set up
          4.   Database providing information on chemical
               properties tapped into for emergency
          5.   Network available 24 hours per day for notifying
               public, including informing them about what
               hazards to expect, what precautions to take, and
               whether evacuation is required
          6.   Specific procedures for incident notification
               developed
          7.   Standardized information for notification form
               determined
          8.   Network for notifying and activating emergency
               response personnel created
          9.   Phone number or central location for initial
               notification with capacity to expand to
               multi-line system during an emergency setup
          10.  Method for updating information needed during an
               incident implemented
  
  
6. Resources
  
     a.   Personnel
          1.   Personnel trained as first responders available
          2.   Personnel trained in other areas of expertise
               available
          3.   Trained personnel located and their availability
               and proximity to potential incidents determined
          4.   Special technical experts outside locality
               identified
          5.   Personnel limitations identified
          6.   Mutual aid agreements exist to facilitate use of
               personnel mentioned in 6.a.3-4
          7.   Facilities to serve as command center for
               personnel identified
          8.   SOPs established for entering and leaving the site
     b.   Training
          1.   Training needs identified and standards
               established that correspond with state criteria
          2.   Location of specialized core and refresher
               training courses determined (response, equipment,
               safety and first aid, etc.)
          3.   Organized system for training pertinent personnel
               created
          4.   Effectiveness of training evaluated regularly
          5.   Space found to carry out training programs (if
               conducted locally)
     c.   Equipment
          1.   Overall equipment needs assessed
          2.   Availability and location of following equipment
               known:
               -    personal protective gear
               -    first aid, emergency medical equipment
               -    hazardous materials emergency vehicles
               -    sampling and monitoring devices
               -    spill-mitigation equipment (bulldozers,
                    vacuum or tank trucks, foam, chemical
                    retardants, straw, boats, helicopters, etc.)
               -    communication equipment
               -    transportation equipment
          3.   If not available locally, ways identified to gain
               access to borrow or share equipment on quick
               notice for as long as needed (for example: mutual
               aid agreements)
          4.   Capacity of equipment evaluated to work in local
               environmental conditions
          5.   Up-to-date (computerized) equipment lists
               maintained, including procedure to revise lists
               regularly
          6.   Lists made available to all responders
          7.   Maintenance and repair records available
          8.   Person responsible for maintenance clearly
               identified
     d.   Medical
          1.   Facilities capable of treating persons injured by
               an incident located
          2.   Medical personnel adequately trained, or access to
               trained medical personnel established
          3.   Medical and other emergency response activities
               coordinated
          4.   Procedures for protecting responders instituted
     e.   Evacuation/In-Place Sheltering
          1.   Contingency plans for evacuation and/or in-place
               sheltering developed
          2.   Facilities and/or procedures for housing persons
               requiring evacuation or temporary relocation
               identified
          3.   Agency responsibilities in the event of
               evacuation/in-place shelter alert determined
          4.   Maps included showing shelter locations
          5.   Public information program to explain evacuation
               procedures developed and implemented
          6.   Needs of special population groups addressed
          7.   Transportation routes, vehicles and/or procedures
               for evacuation specified
          8.   Methods determined for controlling traffic flows
               and providing alternate routes
          9.   Volunteer assistance recruited and coordinated
          10.  Agreements made with nearby jurisdictions to
               receive evacuees
          11.  Facilities maintained and prepared to provide
               counseling,  recreation, food, water, clothing, 
               etc.
          12.  Agreements made with hospitals outside the local
               jurisdiction
          13.  Re-entry procedures identified
          14.  Adequate training for personnel ensured
          15.  Notification and communication procedures
               determined
  
7.    Emergency Plan (written document)
  
     a.   Completed
     b.   If completed, updated
     c.   Hazards analysis (see 1) included
     d.   Public health concerns identified
     e.   Sensitive environmental areas determined
     f.   Information on how to obtain information on chemical
          and physical properties of materials, safety and
          emergency response procedures, and hazard mitigation
          techniques included
     g.   Agency(ies)/persons responsible for performing tasks
          identified
     h.   Plan approved by responsible agency(ies)
     i.   Organizational structure and notification procedures
          outlined and reviewed regularly
     j.   Relationships among the various levels of government
          defined
     k.   Response structure compatible with National Contingency
          Plan
     l.   Procedures to activate the organization for
          pre-response, response, and post-response provided
     m.   Communication methods to disseminate information to the
          public included
     n.   Trained incident commanders identified in the plan
     o.   Authority for vesting site decisions in the incident
          commander spelled out in the plan.
     p.   Private organizations (examples: chemical
          manufacturers, commercial cleanup contractors)
          identified
     q.   Regular testing of plan addressed
     r.   Provision for frequent training of emergency personnel
     s.   Location of materials most likely to be used in
          mitigating effects of a release detailed
     t.   Availability of emergency equipment addressed
     u.   Central location or command center determined
     v.   All aspects of potential need to evacuate or shelter
          in-place addressed
     w.   Addenda, such as laws and ordinances, statutory
          responsibilities, health plan, explanation of
          liability, etc., referenced or included
     x.   Probable simultaneous occurrences of different types of
          emergencies and presence of multiple hazards addressed
  
  
8. Assessment of Damages, Containment, and Restoration
  
     a.   Procedures established, including knowledge of
          resources, for contacting outside help to clean up
          site, respond to contamination problems, and work on
          site restoration
     b.   Provision indicated for securing containment areas
     c.   Provision made for long-term site control during
          extended cleanup
     d.   Medical assistance in the event of contamination
          provided for, including transportation,
          support facilities, etc.
     e.   Decontamination procedures identified
     f.   Documentation procedures identified
     g.   Critique and report of overall emergency operations    
          expected
     h.   Post-accident survey and work to decontaminate property
          addressed
     i.   Equipment inspection and return addressed