Gaps in information
can either push people into harms way or, conversely, precipitate unwarranted
and costly over-reaction. For example, plant managers who are unsure
of their workers' locations or the composition of leaking chemicals
may err on the side of caution and unnecessarily shut down or evacuate
plants. Because unscheduled power outages can damage machines, "an
emergency shut-down or evacuation of an industrial plant lasting just
15 minutes sacrifices an average of one full week of production,"
according to Chris Tirpak, a Project Manager at the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). When such procedures are prompted by information gaps
instead of knowledge about accidents, resulting expenses are likely
to be wasteful.
Causes of Information Gaps
If chemical and safety information is so critical to effective emergency responses, why isn't it readily available to emergency responders? Here's the problem.
Industrial facilities using or storing hazardous materials are required by various government agencies to devise as many as nine different emergency plans containing critical safety and chemical information. Unfortunately, this data traditionally has been collected in detailed, redundant, and unwieldy hard-copy formats that renders it virtually useless during real emergencies. After all, when a fire, explosion, or toxic spill occurs, who has time to search through cumbersome piles, files, and binders of paper for critical pieces of information? The result: potentially life-saving information, though prepared, often fails to reach the emergency responders who need it.
Closing Information
Gaps
Early efforts to close these information gaps included CAMEO, the Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations. CAMEO's suite of 12 software programs provided users with "…software for planning for responding to, and mitigating, chemical accidents."
But, the dynamic nature of technology and the critical needs of fire fighters and emergency personnel inspire continuous improvement of emergency preparedness systems.
Today, emergency responders can arm themselves with real-time, easy to-obtain, site-specific safety and chemical data by accessing a new software program known as BOLDER (Basic On-Line Disaster & Emergency Response). BOLDER stores emergency planning information, including toxic inventories, site maps, floor plans, and emergency procedures. And, because a single BOLDER report consolidates data and replaces all nine government-mandated emergency plans, the system reduces costs for industry and government. "The hard copy equivalent of the information in BOLDER would literally fill a 40-foot trailer," says Ron Dykes, Deputy Chief of Special Operations of the Phoenix Fire Department. But, because dispatchers or emergency responders can search BOLDER via laptop computers, they "can retrieve whatever information they need with a simple click...click...click, wherever they need it -- even at accident sites or while traveling to them." In addition, BOLDER's easy updating features help ensure that the system delivers complete and current information.
