Go to TIER Guide

OBJECTIVE: To define the tiered response levels of The Commonwealth of

Massachusetts, Department of Fire Services, Hazardous Materials

Regional Response Teams so as to provide the most efficient use of

these resources and to ensure a timely response to requesting

communities.

APPLICABILITY:

 

 

 

1.0 DEFINITIONS

Response Groups
    1. All technicians shall be divided into groups of approximately 10 for Activation purposes.
    2. All Support Members shall be divided into an equal number of groups as the technicians.
    3. The assignment of members to groups shall be the responsibility of the Steering Committee in each district. The groups shall be organized to provide efficient and timely response to requesting communities.

      4.  
    Response Tiers
    1. There shall be four defined tiers of response for the Department of Fire Services, Hazardous Materials Regional Response Teams.
      1. A Tier One Response is defined as hazard and risk assessment.
      2. A Tier Two Response is defined as short term operations.
      3. A Tier Three Response is defined as long term operations.
      4. A Tier Four Response is defined as multiple team operations.
2.0 POLICY 2.1 A Tier One Response is defined as hazard and risk assessment. 2.1.1 A Tier One Response request would activate by pager, one (1) group of technicians of which five technicians will be assigned to the incident. The procedure to assign the five technicians will be developed by each District Steering Committee.

2.1.2 At a Tier One Response, one(1) T.O.M.'s (Technical Operation Module) unit is assigned to the incident.

2.1.3 The team will be able to assist in research of materials hazards, hazard and risk analysis, and act in an advisory capacity to the Incident Commander.

2.1.4 At a Tier One Response, the duties of the Response Team include, but are not limited to, performing the functions of Team Leader, Science, Safety and Communications.

 2.2 A Tier Two Response is defined as short term operations.
  2.2.1 A Tier Two Response would initially activate two (2) groups of technicians and two (2) groups of support members. 2.2.2 The Team Leader may request additional groups if the Team Leader determines that the existing response is insufficient for that incident's needs.

EXAMPLE: A third group of technicians may be activated to augment the existing Tier Two response without escalating the incident to a Tier Three Response. One (1) group of support members shall be activated along with each group of technicians activated.

2.2.3 At a Tier Two Response, one (1) T.O.M.s (Technical Operations Module) and one (1) ORU (Operational Response Unit) is assigned to the incident.

2.2.4 In addition to the capabilities described for a Tier One Response, at a Tier Two Response the operations of the Response Team would include assessment to determine the need for additional resources and equipment and limited mitigation.

2.4.5 In addition to the duties described for a Tier One Response, at a Tier Two Response the Response Team duties w ill include performing the functions of Medical Entry, Logistics and Decontamination.

2.2.6 The Incident Commander may request the response of the statewide Incident Command Communications Unit (ICCU).

2.2.7 The Incident Commander may request the response of the Director's Office.

 2.3 Tier Three Response is defined as long term operations. 2.3.1 A Tier Three Response request would activate one (1) full response team, consisting of all technicians and support personnel

2.3.2 At a Tier Three Response, one (1) T.O.M.'s unit and one (1) ORU, plus one OSU (Operational Support Unit) is assigned to the incident. In districts where additional ORUs are sited, those equipment trucks may be assigned to the incident upon request of the Team Leader.

 2.3.3 At a Tier Three Response, the Response Team would be capable of multiple entries, use of specialized mitigation equipment, specialized decontamination and lengthy operations.

2.3.4 At a Tier Three Response, the Statewide Incident Command and Communications Unit (ICCU) is dispatched to the incident.

2.3.5 At a Tier Three Response, the Director's Office will respond.

 2.4 A Tier Four Response is defined as Multiple Team Operations. 2.4.1 If an incident exceeds the resources of a single Response Team, additional response groups and equipment from other Hazardous Materials Regional Response Teams may be activated as needed.   PURPOSE:

The purpose of this procedure is to define the general procedures for notification of the District Hazmat Response Team to effect it's activation for partial and full team responses.

PROCEDURE: The local community through it's incident commander will determine the need for the Hazmat Response Team and request his dispatch center to request it's activation through the Metrofire Control Center. The request will include whether a partial team (Tier 1 or Tier 2) or full team (Tier 3) response is required.

Tier 1 response is to be used for Hazard and Risk Assessment, or to advise the Incident Commander when it is unclear as to whether a larger number of technicians (Tier 2 or 3) and mitigation resources are necessary.

Tier 2 response is appropriate for short term operations (one entry team), to provide decontamination for firefighters or civilians or when it is uncertain what level of response is necessary.

Tier 3 response provides a full team response (all technicians and support personnel) for long term operations multiple entries, and large decon operations.

Tier 4 (multi team response) can be activated by the incident commander in consultation with the Hazmat Team Leader for large scale incidents or when local District Team's resources are exceeded.

Upon determining the need for the Metrofire Hazmat Response Team the requesting community fire alarm operator shall complete the Incident Command Activation Worksheet, providing the following information:

1. City or Town
2. Location of the incident
3. Requesting Department
4. Callback Telephone Number
5. Name of incident Commander
6. Nature/Extent of incident, including product identification and quantity if known.
7. Level of response (Tier 1, 2 or 3)
8. Assembly point for Hazmat Team members The Metrofire Control Center will obtain the following information from the requesting community and record on the CONTROL CENTER ACTIVATION WORKSHEET: 1. City or town
2. Location of the incident
3. Requesting Department
4. Callback telephone number
5. Name of Incident Commander
6. Nature/ extent of incident, including product identification and quantity if known.
7. Level of response (Tier 1,2 or 3)
8. Assembly point for Hazmat Team members The Metrofire Operator will then take the following actions: 1. Activate the telephone paging system to notify the Team members of the activation.
  The page message shall be transmitted in the following form: "Dist.2, Tier #, Team A-E, Chemical, Location of incident, Location of staging area. "Example: "Dist.2, Tier 1, Team A, unknown spill, Waltham-121 Main St. Staging at 100 Main St." 2. Make a general radio broadcast stating that the Metrofire Haz-mat Team is being activated. The broadcast will include the following information:
      1. Community and location of the incident
      2. Assembly and staging area for the Team members
      3. Level of response - Tier 1,2 or 3
      4. Announce that rollcall will be taken by Metrofire Control in IS minutes.
3. Confirm the page message was transmitted. Confirmation shall be the telephone response by one or both of the Team members from the City of Boston within three minutes or by fire alarm contact with either or both of them to insure that they received the page message.
  If no response is received from the City of Boston members, or they have not received the page message, the Metrofire Control Center shall initiate a second paging.

If no response is received from the second page notify the Metrofire communities by radio announcement that the paging system is out of service.

Example: "Metrofire announcing to the Metrofire Communities that the Harmat Team Paging System is out of service". Note: Metrofire communities shall attempt to notify their team members of Hazmat responses at their assigned stations or at home as part of their local procedures.

4. After 15 minutes conduct rollcall of Metrofire communities using Metrofire Hazmat Rollcall form. Record the status of the Team members as follows:
    1. responding and an ETA
    2. not responding
    3. undetermined
This information will be kept at Metrofire to be available for the Incident Commander and/or Hazmat Team Leader. Following the termination of the incident the Control Center Activation Worksheet and Hazmat Rollcall form are to be faxed to Lt.M.Castro at Newton Fire (fax #5S2-7305), then forward the original to the Chief Operator.

5.a. Contact Somerville Fire directly to confirm the dispatch of the TOM's (Tactical Operations Module) unit by one of the Hazmat Team members on a Tier 1,2 or 3 response. If they have not been contacted by a Team member page out a request for a driver. Example: " Team, Driver needed for TOM,s unit. Contact Metrofire, 343-2880 or Somerville Fire, 623-1700".

5.b. Contact Everett Fire directly to confirm the dispatch of the ORU (Operational Response Unit) by one of the Hazmat Team members on a Tier 2 or 3 response. If they have not been contacted by a Team member page out a request for a driver. Example: " Team, Driver needed for ORU. Contact Metrofire, 343-2880 or Everett Fire, 387-7443" .

5.c. Contact Waltham Fire directly to confirm the dispatch of the Metrofire Command Unit on Tier 2 or 3 responses.
 

 6. Contact the Incident Commander's Fire Department dispatch office by radio of the # of Team members responding,the earliest ETA, and vehicle dispatch status. Team members will take the following actions upon notification that the Hazmat Team has been requested:
  1. Review availability to respond. No member on sick or injury leave from their Department shall respond to a Hazmat activation. Members are responsible at all times for their fitness for duty.
  2. Members who have been contacted by pager and are expected to respond will as soon as possible contact their own fire alarm office and advise the fire alarm operator of their status - either responding and an ETA, or unable to respond.
  3. Members contacted by telephone or on duty will adivse the fire alarm operator of their status as per local policy.
  4. Members will record the location of the incident and the assembly point. Directions to the incident should be obtained through the primary paging system, local department, or the Metrofire Control Center.
5.a. Members who are in close proximity to Somerville Fire HQ upon receipt of a Tier 1, 2 or 3 activation page shall notify Somerville Fire at 623-1700, after notifying their own Fire Alarm office and inform them of their ability to pick up and deliver the TOM's unit to the incident scene.

5.b. Members who are in close proximity to Everett Fire HQ upon receipt of a Tier 2 or 3 activation page shall notify Everett Fire at 387-7443, after notifying their own Fire Alarm office and inform them of their ability to pick up and deliver the ORU to the incident scene.

  1. Members responding to the incident shall use good judgement and drive in accordance with all applicable laws and rules of the road.
Weekly Paging System Tests

The Metrofire Control Center shall conduct a test of the alphanumeric paging system each Thursday morning as part of the Morning Radio Test and Availability.

Quarterly Activation Drills

The Metrofire Control Center shall initiate a test of the activation procedure on the first Thursday each quarter (January, April, July and October),as part of the Morning Radio Test and Availability.

Three quarterly tests (January, April and July) shall use the primary team paging system.

Metrofire Control Operators shall conduct the Following:

  1. The paging message shall be as follows: "Activation Test, Dist. 2, Tier 3. Contact your Dept. ASAP" .
  2. Make a general radio broadcast stating that the Metrofire Haz-mat Team activation is being tested.
  3. After 15 minutes conduct roll call of Metrofire communities using Metrofire Hazmat Roll call form. Record the status of the Team members as follows:
    1. responding and an ETA
    2. not responding
    3. undetermined
    4. After conclusion of the activation test, fax copy of Metrofire Hazmat Team Rollcall form to Lt.M. Castro at Newton Fire (fax #552-7305), then forward the original to the Chief Operator.
One quarterly test (October), shall be of the backup activation system, (team members contacted by their own Fire Alarm offices by radio or telephone) and a rollcall completed. The drill will be concluded after the telephone rollcall.
  1. Make a general radio broadcast stating that " the Metrofire Haz-mat Team backup activation procedure is being tested. Contact your Team members. A rollcall will be conducted in 15 minutes".
  2. After 15 minutes conduct rollcall of Metrofire communities using Metrofire Hazmat Rollcall form. Record the status of the Team members as follows: a. responding and an ETA b. not responding c. undetermined
  3. After conclusion of the backup activation procedure test, fax copy of Metrofire Hazmat Team Rollcall form to Lt.M. Castro at Newton Fire (fax #552-7305), then forward the original to the Chief Operator.
 
Cancellation of Team Response

Upon notice from the Incident Commander or Hazmat Team Leader, a response of the team may be cancelled. This cancellation should take place less than 30 minutes after activation.

If it is determined that a response should be cancelled, the Incident Commander or Team Leader shall notify the Metrofire Control Center by radio or telephone.

Upon receiving a cancellation notification the Metrofire Control Operator shall conduct the following:

  1. Activate the primary paging system and broadcast a cancellation message.
  2. Make a radio announcement for the Metrofire communities that the response has been cancelled by the requesting community. Example: "Metrofire Hazmat Team response to the City / Town of __________ has been cancelled. All team members not already at the incident scene shall return."
Upon receiving a cancellation notification from Metrofire Control, team members shall confirm receipt of message by contacting their Fire Alarm office.

 
 
Tier Level Description
Tier ONE Hazard and Risk Assessment
Five Technicians
One TOM's Unit
Advise Incident Commander
No Entry operations
Tier TWO Short Term Operations -i.e. One entry team
@ Twenty Technicians and @ Five Support Paged
One TOM's Unit and One ORU at Scene
Additional Groups of @ ten Technicians and @ Three support can be called incrementally without escalating to full Tier Three
Tier THREE Long Term Operations -Multiple Entry Teams. Large Decon Operations
All Technicians and support members paged
One TOM's Unit and One ORU available in Districts 1-3-6 if requested
Tier FOUR Multiple Team Operations
Large Incident - Local District Team resources extended 
Request for resources from another team.