Hazmat Studies: Introducing the LANL Hazmat Challenge - Part 2

Last year I had the opportunity to attend the 19th Annual Hazardous Materials Challenge at Los Alamos National Labs (LANL) in Los Alamos, NM. Competitions tested the skills of 11 hazardous materials response teams from Missouri, Nebraska and New Mexico.

There was an optional Hazmat "Mini Academy.” It included 30 to 45 minute sessions led by various agencies, vendors and subject matter experts.

The finale of the Hazmat Challenge was a skills-based obstacle course at T49; teams are graded and earned points based upon their ability to perform response skills through an eight-station obstacle course while using fully encapsulated in Level A personal protective equipment (PPE).  Participants in the Hazmat Challenge are provided with Hazmat Technician Continuing Training/Refresher Certificates reflecting 32 hours of training, with subject areas identified to align with requirements in 29 CFR 1910.120(q). 

All events are scored based upon competencies from NFPA 472 and CFR1910.120(q).  Each scenario is 30 to 45 minutes of working time following a team briefing. Performance of each team is evaluated for each event and one of the evaluators is usually from LANL, usually the person who developed the scenario. Other evaluators are representatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency Region 6, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Los Alamos County Fire Department, New Mexico Department of Emergency Management or vendors.

Evaluators present the scenario to team members, are controllers for the scenarios and score team performance during the evolutions. Teams need to verbalize all actions to the scenario controller. Evaluators also time the events. Although any evaluator can stop a scenario for unsafe acts or conditions, one evaluator at each scenario is designated as the "safety official," which is their primary function rather than scoring. The LANL Emergency Response Group (ERG) also monitors safety throughout the Hazmat Challenge. ERG personnel provide a pre-event safety walk-through with upper management and an independent safety professional from LANL.

Scoring includes completion of tasks, timing and teams can lose points for committing unsafe acts, including improper use of PPE, tools, running, throwing tools, dropping victims, forgotten victims, contamination of the team or victims and unnecessary product exposure.  Actions causing the deduction of points may vary depending on the scenario. Teams will be assessed a time penalty for "giving up" or "walking away" from a scenario. Each scenario has its own set of evaluation criteria for expected tasks to be performed.  Each task has an assigned number of points available to be earned by teams. Scenarios also have varying numbers of bonus points or extra credit for unexpected methods of completing tasks in a safe and effective in a safe and effective manner that does not damage the prop.  A 4-by-8-foot score board is maintained inside the command tent as each event is completed for teams to monitor their progress throughout the challenge.

Events outside at Area T49

Pipe and valve tree

The pipe and valve tree is a plumbing simulator on which responders can exercise skills and techniques for mitigating pipe leaks, valve failures, replacements and other plumbing and piping related scenarios. A tool shed is located outside the prop where responders choose the tools and replacement parts they will need to complete the scenario. There are 60 points available for the pipe and valve scenario and five bonus points to be earned and responders are suited up in Level A PPE.

Scenario:  An hour ago an explosion was reported at an industrial chemical facility that primarily produces nitric acids and its associated byproducts. A short time thereafter an orange cloud was reported as escaping from the facility (theatrical smoke is used to simulate a nitric acid leak). At this time the facility and surrounding buildings have been evacuated.  The maintenance manager is on site and available to answer any and all questions about the facility.

Truck stop

The truck stop is a series of actual truck cargo trailers including a flat bed, box trailer, two MC 305/405 flammable liquid trailers and an MC306/406 trailer used to simulate leaks and spills of flammable liquids and petroleum products. Responders practice assessing, stabilizing and breeching the compartments of liquid trailers to safely off-load material. Leaks and spills are also simulated on the flatbed and box trailers. There are 60 points available for the Truck Stop scenario and five bonus points to be earned. Level A PPE with a hard hat is required for this scenario.

Scenario:  The Cryptozoology Hazmat team has been requested to respond to the El Chupacabra Truck Stop after a report of a leaking tank truck. It has been reported that the damage to the tank truck was caused by IED's placed on the truck by a terrorist group. All IEDs have been removed from the area and it has been secured. It has also been reported that there is a box trailer parked next to the tanker and it appears to be leaking as well. Both drivers were released from the scene but prior to leaving they provided all of their shipping documents.  There is also a leaking carboy inside the box trailer which has to be off-loaded into a new container.         

C-130

The C-130 prop was recently obtained from Kirtland Air Force Base.  The C-130 provides a unique training prop that can be used for hazmat, national response teams and crash/rescue training. There are 65 points available for this scenario and 10 bonus points to be earned.  A minimum of Level B PPE is required.

Scenario:  A short while ago the military medi-lift Flight 1020 was attacked by a terrorist who threw two satchels into the rear of the C-130. One of the satchels landed on one of the patients and exploded. The other one landed inside on the second patient. The Marine EOD team has entered the plane, performed a minimal patient assessment, and removed the satchel containing an additional IED. When the EOD departed the scene, the plane was secured until the hazmat team arrived. The two patients were known to have Ebola and were being transported to a hospital with a higher level of isolation and care. The Marines reported that it was a horrendous blood bath inside. Team members should be careful not to contact any bodily fluids. The flight crew is starting to lose their nerve, so time is of the essence. Once team operations are complete members will have to enter the 21-day isolation ward for observation.

Decontamination event

For the decontamination event, 65 points are available and five bonus points can be earned. A minimum of Level B PPE is required.

Scenario: An accident has occurred at a Bio Lab facility that has resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities. The primary decon line has been overwhelmed and you are tasked with setting up and running an emergency decon line for the first responders to supplement and augment the main decon line. You can expect anyone that is directed to your line to be contaminated with live Anthrax spores/powder. The first victims are expected to arrive in 10 to 15 minutes.  The area for your decon line has already been established as the area between the red caution tape (hotline) and the yellow caution tape (contamination control line). All materials you will need are prepositioned on the other side of the safety cones.

Events Inside at Area T-16

Chemical terror

The chemical terror scenario takes place in a chemical lab room. Nothing mentioned on point values/time           

Scenario: Hazmat personnel are responding to a suspected clandestine facility where it is believed that a terror group is producing chemical weapons. The facility has been cleared of any unlawful persons and a bomb squad has also cleared the area of any potential IEDs and booby traps. Personnel will be divided into two teams, a two-person entry team in Level A and a two-person technical reference team in Level D.

Confined Space

The confined space scenario takes place in the firing range and consists of a simulated underground tunnel system located under a residence. The tunnel is constructed of black plastic over a frame and from the inside it looks very much like a tunnel, with various paths and small rooms where potential terrorist activity takes place. Design of the tunnel included a circular area that might cause team members to go in circles unless they touch both sides of the tunnel wall while searching. Visibility inside the tunnel with the vapor cloud is very limited. No time points are awarded for this scenario and 60 points are available.

Scenario: A raid was recently conducted on a residence for suspected terrorist activity. During a search of the residence, the law enforcement team found access to an underground tunnel system. After the tunnel system was cleared by the bomb squad for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), an evidence collection team was sent in to recover any evidence of terrorist activity.

Sometime after the evidence team made entry, one team member emerged from the tunnel coughing and wheezing. He said that the other evidence collection officer triggered a chemical reaction that yielded a thick vapor cloud. Both officers attempted self-rescue but they were separated in the confusion and the other officer has not yet emerged from the tunnel system.  The residence was evacuated but one officer noted a visible vapor cloud coming out of the entrance to the tunnel system prior to evacuation.

Team one will enter wearing the appropriate PPE, perform a search, locate missing personnel and remove the personnel from the area. Team two will make entry, mitigate any potential hazards, identify any potential evidence that may indicate criminal activity and exit the tunnel system. Team two will report any intelligence that will shed light on the potential of terrorist activities. The entire tunnel system must be searched.

RAD, Dude

The RAD dude radiation event takes place in a simulated industrial area inside a warehouse setting. Eight points are available for this scenario along with three bonus points.

Scenario: Local police personnel were serving a warrant on suspected illicit activity in a warehouse area, and one of the officers was wearing a radiation detection pager which alarmed in several areas. Police evacuated the area after determining that no personnel were in the warehouse and the bomb squad was present during the serving of the warrant and determined that no explosive hazards exist. Entry will be made by two separate teams.

Team one will enter wearing the appropriate PPE, survey and analyze the situation, identify potential samples for the second team, exit and give a full briefing to the second entry team.  Team two will make entry, collect public safety samples (as appropriate), identify any potential evidence that may indicate criminal activity, perform any operations deemed necessary to "safe" the scene, exit the area and turn over all samples (if necessary) and information to team one. 

Clandestine Bio Lab

Scenario: Earlier today law enforcement conducted a tactical raid on a facility that was being investigated as a possible clandestine laboratory.  During the raid a sophisticated laboratory facility was discovered, along with equipment, chemicals and IEDs. Explosive devices were disabled by the bomb squad, casualties and suspects have been removed. Law enforcement was able to provide some intelligence information to assist with follow on activities. It is still not clear what was taking place in this lab, or the nature of the hazards. Forty-five points are available for this event.

Obstacle course in full Level A PPE 

The nuts and bolts prop allows one point for each scenario where a bolt is placed on a nut, for a total of 10 points. The "Hot Cooler" offers five points for using monitoring instruments to locate a radioactive source. Sample Skills allows five points in five minutes for siphoning a simulated hazmat from one container to another.

Participants can use inflatable pipe plugs to earn up to six points. They need to patch three leaks on the leaking pipe, earning two points per leak. The "Donkey Kong" drums provide one point each.  Placing labeled drums with the appropriate DOT Guidebook Orange Page number, utilizing a Guidebook as the resource.

"Sack Toss" 5  1 point each.  Tossing bean bags through a small hole about 15 feet away.

Find the Luck 13, all or nothing.  Finding a disk with 13 on it in a pool covered with foam.

The Egg Toss, 3 eggs, 1 point per egg caught (without breaking).  Tossing eggs between two team members.

Results of the 2015 Hazmat Challenge

Technical Events:

First Place:                  Sandia National Laboratory

Second Place:              New Mexico National Guard 64th Civil Support Team

Third place (tie):         Clovis, NM, Fire Department and Las Cruces, NM, Fire Department

Overall (Includes Level A Obstacle Course):

First Place:                  Farmington, NM, Fire Department

Second Place:              New Mexico National Guard 64th Civil Support Team

Third Place:                 Las Cruces, NM, Fire Department

Sportsmanship Award:

Los Alamos National Laboratory

The 20th Annual Los Alamos National Laboratory Hazmat Challenge will be held July 25-29, 2016. Several new props are under construction as well as expansion for some existing props.  For additional information contact Jeff Dare, 505-665-5511, [email protected].