NIMS Supporting Technology Evaluation Program (NIMS STEP) 6 October 2010 Background Current Mission: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the National Incident Management System Support Center (NIMS SC) in 2005 to support FEMA's National Integration Center (NIC) Standards and Technology Branch. The NIMS Support Center is designed to enhance technology integration, interoperability, and compatibility and to improve incident management and information sharing. The center is expanding with an emphasis on standards and technology integration for the non-traditional response community. October 6, 2010 2 Scope NIMS Support Center is an established national resource with a three prong focus centered on integration Test and Evaluation Systems/Tool Development Exercises, workshops, training, and guidance documents identified through outreach and offered as technical assistance NIMS Support Center is funded through the NIMS General Support Contract Current Projects Supporting Technology Evaluation Program (STEP) Incident Resource Inventory System (IRIS) Standards Outreach Technical Assistance October 6, 2010 3 NIMS Support Center NIMS STEP Objective evaluations of software and supporting hardware against NIMS standards and criteria to aid government officials when purchasing incident management products. Equipped to evaluate products that support emergency managers and responders prior to and during an incident. Emergency management and response Subject Matter Experts inspect systems for NIMS Concepts and Principles in a controlled, simulated Emergency Operations Center. Test engineers verify system capabilities and adherence to NIMS recommended technical standards in laboratory environment. October 6, 2010 5 Evaluation Process and Outcomes Community has access to NIMS STEP reports through the FEMA sponsored Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) (https://www.rkb.us) website. October 6, 2010 6 Program Benefits - Practitioners A list of product descriptions and key capabilities based on results from an objective evaluation. This information will be shared through websites. Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) (https://www.rkb.us/). Technical standards and criteria for reference when purchasing hardware and software, off-the-shelf software and hardware or when developing original products (e.g., request for proposals). October 6, 2010 7 Program Benefits - Vendor No cost to participate; evaluations do require vendor support for initial planning calls, logistics coordination, training support, etc. Evaluation Report - identification of capabilities and limitations: Incorporation of NIMS concepts and principles. Adherence to EDXL suite of standards including CAP. Adherence to other standards as they are approved / adopted. Exposure to government officials and other users through websites. October 6, 2010 8 Standards-Based Sharing profile:CAP-CP:Location:0.3 NBMASASui10286 1301006 DAllport 2009-07-17T23:49:40.0436089+00:00 Exercise Public profile:CAP-CP:0.3 fr-CA Alert Routier - Fermeture de route Monitor en-CA Immediate Roadway - Roadway Closure Minor Monitor Observed Immediate Doug Allport Minor 2009-07-18T12:00:00+00:00 Observed 2009-07-19T12:00:00+00:00 Doug Allport Doug Allport 2009-07-18T12:00:00+00:00 Routier - Fermeture de route - Doug Allport, Exercise 2009-07-19T12:00:00+00:00 http://www.gnb.ca/0113/index-e.asp Doug Allport Transport This is a test Road Closure Alert Free form text field profile:CAP-CP:Event:0.3 More free form text here roadClose http://www.gnb.ca/0113/index-e.asp NB DOT 888-555-5555 Transport layer:CAPAN:eventLocation:point 45.2449203344103,-66.11091613769532 profile:CAP-CP:Event:0.3 roadClose 1301006 - Saint John layer:CAPAN:eventLocation:point CAP-CP:Location:0.3 45.2449203344103,-66.11091613769532 1301006 1301006 - Saint John Issuer interfaces with form, custom application, etc. Issuing Application produces Aggregator collects and shares Distributor converts to common and proprietary protocols Recipient interfaces with common products and services; e.g. Television, cellphone, ... October 6, 2010 9 Recommended Technical Standards Products are tested against relevant technical standards Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) The CAP is a general format for exchanging all-hazard emergency alerts and public warnings over all kinds of networks. EDXL-Distribution Element (DE) The Distribution Element specification describes a standard message distribution framework for data sharing among emergency information systems using the XMLbased EDXL. EDXL- Hospital AVailability Exchange (HAVE) Hospital AVailability Exchange reports allow the communication of the status of a hospital, its services, and its resources. EDXL- Resource Messaging (RM) The Resource Messaging specification provides a set of standard formats for XML emergency response messages and is intended to expedite all activities associated with resources needed to respond and adapt to emergency incidents. October 6, 2010 10 NIMS Concepts and Principles Products are inspected against NIMS concepts and principles NIMS criteria: Applicability to Emergency Support and Incident Command functions. Hazards (all-hazards philosophy). Preparedness (full cycle of planning, training and exercise, etc) Communication and Information Management (e.g., interoperability, scalability, plain language, information security). Resource Management (e.g., FEMA typed resources). Command and Management (consistent with ICS). October 6, 2010 11 Target Capabilities List (TCL) Assessors identify core capabilities applicable to the product Common Capabilities Prevent Mission Capabilities Protect Mission Capabilities Respond Mission Capabilities Recover Mission Capabilities Reference: Target Capabilities List (TCL) https://www.rkb.us/hspd8.cfm http://www.fema.gov/pdf/government/training/tcl.pdf 12 Assessor Outreach Seeks involvement of state and local emergency management and response officials Uses qualified volunteers interested in making a contribution to NIMS and inspecting emerging technologies Reimbursement for travel expenses Requires completion of application and program approval 13 Assessor Minimum Qualifications Five years experience in emergency management, response or recovery Experience with \"real-world\" emergency incidents/events Understanding of software systems application to exercises or incidents Completion of ICS courses: IS-100.a, IS-200.a, IS-700.a, and IS-800.B (certificates required) Proficient in basic Microsoft Office applications Periodically available 3-4 days for product evaluations 14 Assessor Responsibilities Read vendor literature Attend vendor training Evaluate the product according to the NIMS STEP Guide Document findings through screen shots and evaluation worksheets Provide feedback on criteria and process 15 Program Website 1) Go to: https://www.nimsstep.org 2) Download Program Guide 3) Vendors Register October 6, 2010 16 Product Self Assessment Initial step in application process Allows vendors to review criteria that will be applied during an evaluation Supports evaluation team in determining what the product was designed or intended to do Allows vendors to perform independent testing Demonstration - https://www.nimsstep.org October 6, 2010 17 Evaluation Documents Evaluation reports and summaries are available on the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website Keyword search: NIMS STEP Navigate to Other Content > Operational Assessments > NIMS SC - STEP Evaluations https://rkb.us October 6, 2010 18 Comments and Questions National Incident Management System Supporting Technology Evaluation Program (NIMS STEP) Website - https://www.nimsstep.org Reports - https://rkb.us/ (keyword search NIMS STEP) Camille.l.Osterloh@saic.com William.E.Flanigan.Jr@saic.com Office: (606) 274-2019 Lead Assessor, NIMS STEP Test Manager, NIMS STEP October 6, 2010 19 \fRunning Head: SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION San Bruno Pipeline Explosion Student's Name Institution Affiliation 1 SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 2 The San Bruno pipeline explosion happened at 6:11 pm PDT on September 9, 2010, in San Bruno, California, which is a suburb of San Francisco. The explosion happened when a 30inch diameter steel natural gas pipeline which is maintained by Pacific Gas & Electric exploded in the Crest Moor residential neighborhood. The cause of the tragedy was some faults in the pipeline systems which led to gas leaks. PG&E was blamed for failing to have periodical inspections on the pipeline conditions. By September 29, 2010, the reported deaths were eight people (Bachmann et al., 2015). The environmental damages the incident caused was emissions of hazardous gas that caused air pollution and may also have contributed to the greenhouse effect. The intergovernmental jurisdictions that were involved in the San Bruno included a Red Cross shelter that was set up at the Veterans Memorial Recreation Center as well as the Blood Centers of the Pacific that issued an emergency plea for blood donations. Pacific Gas and Electric Company the owner of the pipeline was also greatly involved and the corporation unable to approach the source of the explosion to probe the cause. PG&E reduced its operating pressures by 20% after inquiries showed that the pipeline might have been wrongly installed. California state government was also involved as the Lieutenant Governor made an emergency declaration and also signed an executive order give aid to victims. The Federal government was also involved as the U.S. Representative referred to the devastation as "a very serious crisis" and asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to declare it a nationwide disaster. The types of technology that were employed in the San Bruno explosion used during the response and recovery included those deployed by the local technology companies including SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 3 Cisco Systems and Google (Bachmann et al., 2015). The companies dispatched their emergency response teams to deliver emergency communications and also improved mapping information. Through the coordination of through InSTEDD (Innovative Support to Emergencies, Diseases, and Disasters), and with help from Carnegie-Mellon University Disaster Management Initiative, several technology volunteers were requested to help many of the GIS (Geographic Information Systems) response efforts (Bachmann et al., 2015). The tools and equipment that could have significantly improved relief efforts are those that have an effective risk assessment, emergency response planning as well as training as this can increase the safety of the public, emergency responders and also other property. The most vital features of pipeline emergency preparedness and response include communication as well as cooperation between the emergency responders and pipeline operators (Bachmann et al., 2015). Pipeline operators were required to communicate the following information to the emergency responders: Location of the transmission pipelines that pass through their area of jurisdiction as well as how to get detailed information regarding those pipelines and location of the emergency response plans respective of the subject pipeline. Another tool could have been the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) which is a Webbased mapping tool that allows the users to observe the maps as well as basic information concerning natural gas and also hazardous liquid transmission pipelines in the US The Federal Government should be responsible for funding and provide the tools, equipment, and technology since it has legal authorities, technical information and services, research capabilities, fiscal resources, and specialized personnel to assist local as well as State agencies in responding to and recovering from emergencies and disasters. Also, when an incident happens and surpasses local or State resources, the Federal Government is capable of using the National SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 4 Response Framework to encompass all required departments and agencies, organize the Federal response as well as guarantee coordination amongst the response partners. There were no coordination problems such as interagency communication or conflict as major complications in emergency coordination were diminished because our FEMA, State, and Federal officials had established relationships amongst one another and had also employed agreed-upon procedures. As a result, every team was well aware of their roles and responsibilities (Hewitt et al., 2015). The forecasting technologies that could have been used include a computer model that tests automobile apparatuses for crashworthiness. This would have predicted how the pipe fractured. The technology has the power of accurately predicting the locations as well as propagation cracks. (Bachmann et al., 2015). This would have been effective if PG&E had employed it as the model's reconstruction resembles the actual pipeline and it would also help in identifying more suitable pipe materials so the incident would hardly have occurred. Recommendations and conclusions Catastrophic pipeline emergencies were incidents that were rare, but as a result of frequent recent incidents, it is a demonstration that these incidents happen. Sufficiency in both preparation and response are essential to minimize risks to life as well as property when pipeline emergencies take place (Jackson, 2013). To effectively plan for and to also respond to pipeline emergencies, it is vital for emergency responders as well as pipeline operators to establish positive working relationships before the emergencies happening and comprehend how best to work collectively in the course of a pipeline emergency response. SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 5 Some immediate steps can be taken to enhance the safety of pipelines. For instance, excavators should be encouraged and likewise the homeowners to call 811 before doing any digging. Communities should also be encouraged to consider employing the recommended practices produced by the Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (Phillips et al., 2013). Maybe the most significant of these is the need to advance the efficiency as well as the effectiveness of communication and also cooperation between emergency responders and the pipeline operators. References SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 6 Bachmann, D. J., Jamison, N. K., Martin, A., Delgado, J., & Kman, N. E. (2015). Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: There's An App for That. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 30(05), 486-490. Hewitt, A. M., Wagner, S. L., Twal, R., & Gourley, D. (2015). Aligning Community Hospitals with Local Public Health Departments: Collaborative Emergency Management. Emergency Management and Disaster Response Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships, 218. Phillips, N. G., Ackley, R., Crosson, E. R., Down, A., Hutyra, L. R., Brondfield, M., ... & Jackson, R. B. (2013). Mapping urban pipeline leaks: Methane leaks across Boston. Environmental pollution, 173, 1-4. Assignment_3eddc0c5-081444d5-8e2dd3a1254cde8b_41549 by Edmond Saneaka FILE CONT ENT 1473617041746.DOCX (22.87K) T IME SUBMIT T ED 11-SEP-2016 01:04PM WORD COUNT 1031 SUBMISSION ID 703651945 CHARACT ER COUNT 6084 Assignment_3eddc0c5-0814-44d5-8e2d-d3a1254cde8b_41549 ORIGINALITY REPORT 40 39 2 9 % % % % SIMILARIT Y INDEX INT ERNET SOURCES PUBLICAT IONS ST UDENT PAPERS PRIMARY SOURCES 1 2 3 4 18 en.wikipedia.org % Int ernet Source 15 www.firerescuemagazine.com % Int ernet Source 3 Submitted to CSU, Long Beach St udent Paper % Submitted to Colorado Technical University Online % 2 St udent Paper 5 6 1 emilms.fema.gov % Int ernet Source 1 www.ktvu.com % Int ernet Source EXCLUDE QUOT ES ON EXCLUDE BIBLIOGRAPHY ON EXCLUDE MAT CHES OFF SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. San Bruno's Pipeline Explosion Student's Name Institution Affiliation 1 SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. 2 The San Bruno pipeline explosion occurred at 6:11 pm PDT on September 9, 2010, in San Bruno, a suburb of San Francisco. The explosion ensued when a 30-inch diameter steel natural gas pipeline which is maintained by Pacific Gas & Electric blasted in the Crest Moor residential neighborhood. The origin of the tragedy was attributed to some faults in the pipeline systems which led to gas leaks. PG&E was accused for failing to have periodical inspections on the pipeline conditions. By September 29, 2010, the reported deaths were eight people (Bachmann et al., 2015). The environmental harms the incident caused was emissions of hazardous gas that caused air pollution as well as contributed to the greenhouse effect. The intergovernmental jurisdictions that were involved in the San Bruno included a Red Cross shelter set up at the Veterans Memorial Recreation Center as well as the Blood Centers of the Pacific that issued an emergency plea for blood donations. Pacific Gas and Electric Company the owner of the pipeline was also greatly involved and the corporation unable to approach the source of the explosion to probe the cause. PG&E reduced its operating pressures by 20% after inquiries showed that the pipeline might have been erroneously installed. California state government was also involved as the Lieutenant Governor made an emergency declaration and also signed an executive order to give aid to victims. The Federal government was also involved as the U.S. Representative referred to the devastation as "a very serious crisis" and asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to declare it a nationwide disaster. The types of technology that were employed in the San Bruno explosion used during the response and recovery included those deployed by the local technology companies including SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. 3 Cisco Systems and Google (Bachmann et al., 2015). The companies dispatched their emergency response teams to deliver emergency communications and also improved mapping information. Through the coordination of InSTEDD (Innovative Support to Emergencies, Diseases, and Disasters), and with assistance from Carnegie-Mellon University Disaster Management Initiative, several technology volunteers were requested to help many of the GIS (Geographic Information Systems) reaction efforts (Bachmann et al., 2015). The equipment and tools that could have significantly enriched relief efforts are those that have an effective risk assessment, emergency response planning as well as training. It can increase the emergency responders, safety of the public as well as other property. The most crucial features of pipeline emergency preparedness and response include communication as well as cooperation between the emergency responders besides pipeline operators (Bachmann et al., 2015). Pipeline operators were required to communicate the following information to the emergency responders: Location of the transmission pipelines that pass through their area of jurisdiction as well as how to get detailed information regarding those pipelines and location of the emergency response plans respective of the subject pipeline. Another tool could have been the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) a Web-based mapping tool allowing the users to observe the maps as well as basic information concerning natural gas as well as hazardous liquid transmission pipelines in the US. The Federal Government should be in charge for funding and providing the equipment, technology and the tools, since it has legal authorities, fiscal resources, technical information and services, research capabilities, and specialized personnel to support local as well as State agencies in responding to emergencies and disasters. Also, when an incident happens and surpasses local or State resources, the Federal Government is capable of using the National SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. 4 Response Framework to incorporate all required departments and agencies, organize the Federal response as well as guarantee coordination amongst the response partners. There were no coordination problems such as interagency communication or conflict as major complications in emergency coordination were diminished because the State, FEMA, and Federal officials had established relationships amongst one another and employed agreed-upon procedures. As a result, every team was well aware of their roles and responsibilities (Hewitt et al., 2015). The forecasting technologies to be used included a computer model that tests automobile apparatuses for crashworthiness. This would have predicted how the pipe fractured. The technology has the power of accurately predicting the locations as well as propagation cracks. (Bachmann et al., 2015). This would have been effective if PG&E had employed it as the model's reconstruction resembles the actual pipeline and it would also help in identifying more suitable pipe materials so the incident would hardly have occurred. Recommendations and conclusions Catastrophic pipeline emergencies were incidents that were rare, but as a result of frequent recent incidents, it is a demonstration that these incidents happen. Sufficiency in both preparation and response are essential to minimize risks to life as well as property when pipeline emergencies take place (Jackson, 2013). To effectively plan for and to also respond to pipeline emergencies, it is vital for emergency responders as well as pipeline operators to establish positive working relationships before the emergencies happening and comprehend how best to work collectively in the course of a pipeline emergency response. SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. Some instantaneous steps can be taken to enhance the safety of pipelines. For example, excavators should be encouraged and likewise the homeowners to call 811 before doing any digging. Communities should also be encouraged to consider employing the recommended practices produced by the Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (Phillips et al., 2013). Maybe the most significant of these is the need to advance the efficiency as well as the effectiveness of communication and also cooperation between emergency responders and the pipeline operators. 5 SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. 6 References Bachmann, D. J., Jamison, N. K., Martin, A., Delgado, J., & Kman, N. E. (2015). Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: There's An App for That. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 30(05), 486-490. Hewitt, A. M., Wagner, S. L., Twal, R., & Gourley, D. (2015). Aligning Community Hospitals with Local Public Health Departments: Collaborative Emergency Management. Emergency Management and Disaster Response Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships, 218. Phillips, N. G., Ackley, R., Crosson, E. R., Down, A., Hutyra, L. R., Brondfield, M., ... & Jackson, R. B. (2013). Mapping urban pipeline leaks: Methane leaks across Boston. Environmental pollution, 173, 1-4. \fRunning Head: SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION San Bruno Pipeline Explosion Student's Name Institution Affiliation 1 SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 2 The San Bruno pipeline explosion happened at 6:11 pm PDT on September 9, 2010, in San Bruno, California, which is a suburb of San Francisco. The explosion happened when a 30inch diameter steel natural gas pipeline which is maintained by Pacific Gas & Electric exploded in the Crest Moor residential neighborhood. The cause of the tragedy was some faults in the pipeline systems which led to gas leaks. PG&E was blamed for failing to have periodical inspections on the pipeline conditions. By September 29, 2010, the reported deaths were eight people (Bachmann et al., 2015). The environmental damages the incident caused was emissions of hazardous gas that caused air pollution and may also have contributed to the greenhouse effect. The intergovernmental jurisdictions that were involved in the San Bruno included a Red Cross shelter that was set up at the Veterans Memorial Recreation Center as well as the Blood Centers of the Pacific that issued an emergency plea for blood donations. Pacific Gas and Electric Company the owner of the pipeline was also greatly involved and the corporation unable to approach the source of the explosion to probe the cause. PG&E reduced its operating pressures by 20% after inquiries showed that the pipeline might have been wrongly installed. California state government was also involved as the Lieutenant Governor made an emergency declaration and also signed an executive order give aid to victims. The Federal government was also involved as the U.S. Representative referred to the devastation as "a very serious crisis" and asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to declare it a nationwide disaster. The types of technology that were employed in the San Bruno explosion used during the response and recovery included those deployed by the local technology companies including SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 3 Cisco Systems and Google (Bachmann et al., 2015). The companies dispatched their emergency response teams to deliver emergency communications and also improved mapping information. Through the coordination of through InSTEDD (Innovative Support to Emergencies, Diseases, and Disasters), and with help from Carnegie-Mellon University Disaster Management Initiative, several technology volunteers were requested to help many of the GIS (Geographic Information Systems) response efforts (Bachmann et al., 2015). The tools and equipment that could have significantly improved relief efforts are those that have an effective risk assessment, emergency response planning as well as training as this can increase the safety of the public, emergency responders and also other property. The most vital features of pipeline emergency preparedness and response include communication as well as cooperation between the emergency responders and pipeline operators (Bachmann et al., 2015). Pipeline operators were required to communicate the following information to the emergency responders: Location of the transmission pipelines that pass through their area of jurisdiction as well as how to get detailed information regarding those pipelines and location of the emergency response plans respective of the subject pipeline. Another tool could have been the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) which is a Webbased mapping tool that allows the users to observe the maps as well as basic information concerning natural gas and also hazardous liquid transmission pipelines in the US The Federal Government should be responsible for funding and provide the tools, equipment, and technology since it has legal authorities, technical information and services, research capabilities, fiscal resources, and specialized personnel to assist local as well as State agencies in responding to and recovering from emergencies and disasters. Also, when an incident happens and surpasses local or State resources, the Federal Government is capable of using the National SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 4 Response Framework to encompass all required departments and agencies, organize the Federal response as well as guarantee coordination amongst the response partners. There were no coordination problems such as interagency communication or conflict as major complications in emergency coordination were diminished because our FEMA, State, and Federal officials had established relationships amongst one another and had also employed agreed-upon procedures. As a result, every team was well aware of their roles and responsibilities (Hewitt et al., 2015). The forecasting technologies that could have been used include a computer model that tests automobile apparatuses for crashworthiness. This would have predicted how the pipe fractured. The technology has the power of accurately predicting the locations as well as propagation cracks. (Bachmann et al., 2015). This would have been effective if PG&E had employed it as the model's reconstruction resembles the actual pipeline and it would also help in identifying more suitable pipe materials so the incident would hardly have occurred. Recommendations and conclusions Catastrophic pipeline emergencies were incidents that were rare, but as a result of frequent recent incidents, it is a demonstration that these incidents happen. Sufficiency in both preparation and response are essential to minimize risks to life as well as property when pipeline emergencies take place (Jackson, 2013). To effectively plan for and to also respond to pipeline emergencies, it is vital for emergency responders as well as pipeline operators to establish positive working relationships before the emergencies happening and comprehend how best to work collectively in the course of a pipeline emergency response. SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 5 Some immediate steps can be taken to enhance the safety of pipelines. For instance, excavators should be encouraged and likewise the homeowners to call 811 before doing any digging. Communities should also be encouraged to consider employing the recommended practices produced by the Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (Phillips et al., 2013). Maybe the most significant of these is the need to advance the efficiency as well as the effectiveness of communication and also cooperation between emergency responders and the pipeline operators. References SAN BRUNO PIPELINE EXPLOSION 6 Bachmann, D. J., Jamison, N. K., Martin, A., Delgado, J., & Kman, N. E. (2015). Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: There's An App for That. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 30(05), 486-490. Hewitt, A. M., Wagner, S. L., Twal, R., & Gourley, D. (2015). Aligning Community Hospitals with Local Public Health Departments: Collaborative Emergency Management. Emergency Management and Disaster Response Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships, 218. Phillips, N. G., Ackley, R., Crosson, E. R., Down, A., Hutyra, L. R., Brondfield, M., ... & Jackson, R. B. (2013). Mapping urban pipeline leaks: Methane leaks across Boston. Environmental pollution, 173, 1-4. Assignment_3eddc0c5-081444d5-8e2dd3a1254cde8b_41549 by Edmond Saneaka FILE CONT ENT 1473617041746.DOCX (22.87K) T IME SUBMIT T ED 11-SEP-2016 01:04PM WORD COUNT 1031 SUBMISSION ID 703651945 CHARACT ER COUNT 6084 Assignment_3eddc0c5-0814-44d5-8e2d-d3a1254cde8b_41549 ORIGINALITY REPORT 40 39 2 9 % % % % SIMILARIT Y INDEX INT ERNET SOURCES PUBLICAT IONS ST UDENT PAPERS PRIMARY SOURCES 1 2 3 4 18 en.wikipedia.org % Int ernet Source 15 www.firerescuemagazine.com % Int ernet Source 3 Submitted to CSU, Long Beach St udent Paper % Submitted to Colorado Technical University Online % 2 St udent Paper 5 6 1 emilms.fema.gov % Int ernet Source 1 www.ktvu.com % Int ernet Source EXCLUDE QUOT ES ON EXCLUDE BIBLIOGRAPHY ON EXCLUDE MAT CHES OFF SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. San Bruno's Pipeline Explosion Student's Name Institution Affiliation 1 SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. 2 The San Bruno pipeline explosion occurred at 6:11 pm PDT on September 9, 2010, in San Bruno, a suburb of San Francisco. The explosion ensued when a 30-inch diameter steel natural gas pipeline which is maintained by Pacific Gas & Electric blasted in the Crest Moor residential neighborhood. The origin of the tragedy was attributed to some faults in the pipeline systems which led to gas leaks. PG&E was accused for failing to have periodical inspections on the pipeline conditions. By September 29, 2010, the reported deaths were eight people (Bachmann et al., 2015). The environmental harms the incident caused was emissions of hazardous gas that caused air pollution as well as contributed to the greenhouse effect. The intergovernmental jurisdictions that were involved in the San Bruno included a Red Cross shelter set up at the Veterans Memorial Recreation Center as well as the Blood Centers of the Pacific that issued an emergency plea for blood donations. Pacific Gas and Electric Company the owner of the pipeline was also greatly involved and the corporation unable to approach the source of the explosion to probe the cause. PG&E reduced its operating pressures by 20% after inquiries showed that the pipeline might have been erroneously installed. California state government was also involved as the Lieutenant Governor made an emergency declaration and also signed an executive order to give aid to victims. The Federal government was also involved as the U.S. Representative referred to the devastation as "a very serious crisis" and asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to declare it a nationwide disaster. The types of technology that were employed in the San Bruno explosion used during the response and recovery included those deployed by the local technology companies including SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. 3 Cisco Systems and Google (Bachmann et al., 2015). The companies dispatched their emergency response teams to deliver emergency communications and also improved mapping information. Through the coordination of InSTEDD (Innovative Support to Emergencies, Diseases, and Disasters), and with assistance from Carnegie-Mellon University Disaster Management Initiative, several technology volunteers were requested to help many of the GIS (Geographic Information Systems) reaction efforts (Bachmann et al., 2015). The equipment and tools that could have significantly enriched relief efforts are those that have an effective risk assessment, emergency response planning as well as training. It can increase the emergency responders, safety of the public as well as other property. The most crucial features of pipeline emergency preparedness and response include communication as well as cooperation between the emergency responders besides pipeline operators (Bachmann et al., 2015). Pipeline operators were required to communicate the following information to the emergency responders: Location of the transmission pipelines that pass through their area of jurisdiction as well as how to get detailed information regarding those pipelines and location of the emergency response plans respective of the subject pipeline. Another tool could have been the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) a Web-based mapping tool allowing the users to observe the maps as well as basic information concerning natural gas as well as hazardous liquid transmission pipelines in the US. The Federal Government should be in charge for funding and providing the equipment, technology and the tools, since it has legal authorities, fiscal resources, technical information and services, research capabilities, and specialized personnel to support local as well as State agencies in responding to emergencies and disasters. Also, when an incident happens and surpasses local or State resources, the Federal Government is capable of using the National SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. 4 Response Framework to incorporate all required departments and agencies, organize the Federal response as well as guarantee coordination amongst the response partners. There were no coordination problems such as interagency communication or conflict as major complications in emergency coordination were diminished because the State, FEMA, and Federal officials had established relationships amongst one another and employed agreed-upon procedures. As a result, every team was well aware of their roles and responsibilities (Hewitt et al., 2015). The forecasting technologies to be used included a computer model that tests automobile apparatuses for crashworthiness. This would have predicted how the pipe fractured. The technology has the power of accurately predicting the locations as well as propagation cracks. (Bachmann et al., 2015). This would have been effective if PG&E had employed it as the model's reconstruction resembles the actual pipeline and it would also help in identifying more suitable pipe materials so the incident would hardly have occurred. Recommendations and conclusions Catastrophic pipeline emergencies were incidents that were rare, but as a result of frequent recent incidents, it is a demonstration that these incidents happen. Sufficiency in both preparation and response are essential to minimize risks to life as well as property when pipeline emergencies take place (Jackson, 2013). To effectively plan for and to also respond to pipeline emergencies, it is vital for emergency responders as well as pipeline operators to establish positive working relationships before the emergencies happening and comprehend how best to work collectively in the course of a pipeline emergency response. SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. Some instantaneous steps can be taken to enhance the safety of pipelines. For example, excavators should be encouraged and likewise the homeowners to call 811 before doing any digging. Communities should also be encouraged to consider employing the recommended practices produced by the Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (Phillips et al., 2013). Maybe the most significant of these is the need to advance the efficiency as well as the effectiveness of communication and also cooperation between emergency responders and the pipeline operators. 5 SAN BRUNO'S PIPELINE EXPLOSION. 6 References Bachmann, D. J., Jamison, N. K., Martin, A., Delgado, J., & Kman, N. E. (2015). Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: There's An App for That. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 30(05), 486-490. Hewitt, A. M., Wagner, S. L., Twal, R., & Gourley, D. (2015). Aligning Community Hospitals with Local Public Health Departments: Collaborative Emergency Management. Emergency Management and Disaster Response Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships, 218. Phillips, N. G., Ackley, R., Crosson, E. R., Down, A., Hutyra, L. R., Brondfield, M., ... & Jackson, R. B. (2013). Mapping urban pipeline leaks: Methane leaks across Boston. Environmental pollution, 173, 1-4