Fire Service Leaders, 

Cobb Fire has asked us to share this information about an upcoming training opportunity. This training is open to all local departments. The training is free, but they ask that you register so they have an accurate headcount. 

You may register here:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-functional-fire-company-conference-tickets-237519686777.   

Please reach out to Chief Hancock at 770-528-5661 or thomas.hancock@cobbcounty.org for more information.

Attendance Target: 16 fire & emergency services personnel / 64 conference attendees

Overview: ASTI instructors will teach and demonstrate the “Plan to Plume” response logic and explain how to manage an ammonia emergency using plume models that evolve over the four emergency stages (Discovery, Initial Response, Sustained Response, and Termination).

Exercise Format: Participants will receive an opening instructional session from Gary Smith, retired fire chief and President/CEO of ASTI and Manny Ehrlich with 60 years of chemical management experience that includes a four year term as a U.S. Chemical Safety Board, and Kent Anderson, President emeritus of IIAR and past President of the ASTI Board. The instruction will be followed by a demonstration of the method of monitoring an ammonia release with predeveloped plume models and a live session with the Drager X-Site plume development system using live ammonia detection and plume plotting methodology. Instructors will discuss the impact of plume flank and core readings, incident action plan tasks, and safety measures.

Groups will be assembled using the “Tripod Concept,” collaborating industry, government, and public safety representatives. The group leader will select command team members who will address the challenges and roles involved in each stage of emergency response (Incident Commander, Lead Responder, Notification Unit Leader, Evacuation Group Leader, and Local Emergency Manager).

1.     Discovery Stage (the first fifteen minutes of an incident) - facility response with a pre-developed ALOHA plume model that displays a worst-case scenario. The focus will be on the immediate facility command team size-up, notification of local, state, and federal response, and employee escape to a rally point and the most appropriate inside or outside evacuation staging area.

2.      Initial Response Stage (the second 15 minutes of an incident). The plume is heading off site. The focus will be on engaging an emergency system control plan. The group will see how wind variance and confidence line perimeter reveal the ammonia plume.

3.     Sustained Response (successive 30 minute plans that lead to controlling the emergency event) - the plume becomes “steady state” and the team must deal with challenges associated with off-site exposure to critical receptors. The first IMAAC plume model arrives. Draeger X-Site system will read flank and core plan impact as the plume begins to recede.

4.     Termination/Recovery (the fourth stage of an incident) - Crisis management and debriefing on the benefits of addressing key life-safety and environmental impacts of the release.

REGISTRATION IS FREE – TO REGISTER, EMAIL DAVID BULLARD (Dbullard@columbiacountyga.gov)

Questions – Contact Chief Gary Smith (831) 288-0576 or (831) 818-1321