Scenario 4 - Papa Pipelines

	Time: 6:45 am Local Weather: Crisp fall morning with light winds from the Southeast at 3 to 5 miles per hour.

	Fairview is a community of 75,000 people. This community makes up a Midwestern metro complex of 1.5 million people with 13 subdivisions. Smith Ranch is a newly annexed subdivision and golf course. There is a new shopping mall supporting the area, gas stations, and other shops that are beginning to be built as well. The Smith family leased their ranch to oil companies who have many wells in several different locations around the golf course.

	The Fire Department is made up of three stations with two engines at each station. One engine is manned by 3 career personnel; the second is for volunteer response. There is also a rescue unit (2 personnel) at station 1, a chief and a ladder truck at station 2 (3 firefighters), and an ambulance (2 paramedics) that responds from the hospital. The total manpower is 15 FD personnel, 2 Hospital with another 10-15 volunteers that normally respond. Additional response from a mutual aid system will bring 25 additional responders in 30 minutes and at least 50 in 1 hour.

	Fairview law enforcement consists of 20 officers from the local police force. There were 2 officers on duty at the time of the event. There are 2 county sheriffs in the area and 10 additional men who can be provided within 1 hour according to the Emergency Response Plan. The local police officer is on the scene shortly after the incident and a second law enforcement officer is on the way. Call back will take 1 to 2 hours to get 10 more officers.

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Scenario Map

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Scenario DescriptionProceed »

At dawn the 911 center begins to receive multiple reports of a large explosion, or big "boom", out by the Smith Ranch golf course and sub-division on County Rd 33.

Smith ranch has several gathering wells drawing from a large gas deposit in the area. These wells feed a grid that runs to a transmission line that runs to the regional processing plant. The plant removes the H2S and other impurities from the gas and then sends it downstream to manufacturing and distribution companies. There is no fire, but subsequent calls have been describing a big hole in the ground and gas blowing out of the hole.

Excercise #1 - Initial Response

During the initial response, the chief, engine 2 and ladder 1 respond from headquarters. Engine 1 responds from the north manned with 3 responders. An ambulance is dispatched from the hospital.

Where would you place your apparatus? Drag and drop each unit to the spot you decide is the best position.

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Response Information Resources

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Each resource will provide information based on their mission and the parameters they expect their information to be used. Remember, each document or organization can help!

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Protect People, Property and the Environment

You need to establish evacuation zones. You are aware of the potential for flammability and now suspect the natural gas may be toxic. If the natural gas is contaminated with hydrogen sulfide, what is the relationship between flammability and toxicity?

Drag one red zone (flammability) and one blue zone (toxicity) to the map. Place them on the spot where you believe evacuation should be conducted.When you are done, check your answers.

Note: This exercise is not about the exactness of the plume or the distance of the evacuation. It is about first responder actions in the initial stages of the evacuation process.