# Presentation: 946850

## Slide 1

**Notes:**
Paul Kudarauskas, I will present on the Volpe Center Support of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Decontamination Team
and
Christopher Zevitas will talk about an example of a type of decontamination research being performed by the FAA that Volpe is staying up to date with for sponsors such as the NDT

## About the National Decontamination Team

- Part of EPA’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) within the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER)
- NDT established to address recognized shortcomings in the Nation’s preparedness and response capabilities
- OEM provides national leadership to prevent, prepare for, and respond to health and environmental emergencies through partnerships, joint strategy development, technology development and deployment, and training and exercises

**Notes:**
The National Decontamination Team is part of EPA’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) within the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER)

The NDT was established under the National Response Plan and Homeland Security Presidential Directives 5, 9, and 10 to address recognized shortcomings in the Nation’s preparedness and response capabilities for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks, basically, events involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or incidents of national significance (INS).

OEM provides national leadership to prevent, prepare for, and respond to health and environmental emergencies through partnerships, joint strategy development, technology development and deployment, and training and exercises.

## Organization Background

- OSWER/OEM
- Recently restructured
- Responsible for Emergency Response, Superfund, Brownfields, Underground Storage Tanks, Solid Waste
- NDT
- Relationship with Steve Hawthorn since 1999
- Projects: Jacobs Smelter, Libby Asbestos, Sister Sites

**Notes:**
To give a little background, OSWER was recently restructured and responsibilities reassigned.  OEM consolidated OSWER's emergency prevention, preparedness, and response duties by joining together the Oil Program Center, Emergency Response & Removal Center and the Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office.  The restructure also created the National Decontamination Team.

Volpe’s involvement with the NDT stems from its relationship with EPA Region 8 dating back 7 years ago. Since 1999 Volpe worked with On-Scene Coordinators (the EPA responders in charge of HAZMAT emergency spill responses) in Stockton, UT, Libby, MT, Denver, CO, Minot, ND, and SLC, UT. 

At this time Steve Hawthorn was the director of  the OSCs.  When the Decon Team was established, Steve transferred to become the Director of the Decon Team.  Because of the various successful projects Volpe supported within Region 8, Steve recognized that the capabilities of the Volpe Center would be useful, so he requested support from us to staff his team.

## More on NDT

- Established in early 2005 and located in Cincinnati, OH
- The organization consists of experienced emergency responders, engineers, and scientists dedicated to providing technical decontamination expertise and operational support.
- Personnel recruited from EPA, DHHS, NIOSH, CDC, and DOT

**Notes:**
The Decon Team was established in early 2005 and is located in Cincinnati OH

The Team comprises experienced emergency responders, engineers, and scientists dedicated to providing technical decontamination expertise and operational support within an incident command system (ICS)

The 15 person Team was recruited from EPA, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Center for Disease Control, and the USDOT (Volpe Center)

The Decon Team supports EPA’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) to further decontamination research and develop applicable technologies specific to consequence management phases of incidents of national significance

NHSRC is located in Cincy, OH and ERT is located in Washington, DC, Edison, NJ, Las Vegas, NV, as well as Cincinnati, OH

## NDT Capabilities

- Provides full range of support to emergency responders:
- CBRN detection and interpretation
- Impact on food, crops and agriculture
- Sampling procedures for biologicals
*Quick and dirty* first safety principles for exposure to various agents
- Recommendations for best decontamination strategies

**Notes:**
The Team will provide a full range of support to emergency responders 
Expertise in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear detection and interpretation of measurements
One of their main strengths is radiation detection, Indication And Computation (RADIAC) instrument capabilities
The impact on food, crops and agriculture from various contaminants
Have an expertise in sampling procedures for biologicals
Quick and dirty first safety principles for exposure to various agents
Aerial mapping of contaminant plume/fallout with the ASPECT airframe
Recommendations for best decontamination strategies for specific contaminants

## Detailed, readily available database on high-risk agents for policymakers and field personnel

Verified data prior to publication

Web-based and stand-alone

Quick reference guides and fact sheets

- Verified data prior to publication
- Web-based and stand-alone
- Quick reference guides and fact sheets

**Decontamination Portfolio**

**Notes:**
One of the teams major products is the Decontamination Portfolio
We are developing a detailed, readily available database on high-risk agents for policymakers and field personnel
All data entered will be scrubbed/verified so the product sold on TV for $19.95 plus shipping and handling are not included
It will be web-based but also available as a stand alone system
It will also produce quick reference guides and fact sheets for responders to have on hand

This database will provide:
Safety plans and MSDS information for use during decontamination
Transportation and disposal options
Commercial vendor availability
Sampling methods to determine decontamination alternatives
Laboratory analytical procedures to test/verify decontamination efficacy
Decontamination methods (infrastructure, components, personnel)
Public health measures and medical delivery
Agent dispersion/migration modeling

As you are aware, first responders are extremely knowledgeable, but may not have all the details for all agents off cuff.  This Portfolio will be there to assist them

## Planning and Preparedness

- Response development for DHS planning scenarios, team training drills, and exercises
- Decontamination options
- Develop scaleable decontamination procedures
- Develop incident specific action lists

**Notes:**
NDT is responsible for
Creating an array of decontamination options for urban, industrial or rural settings
Developing scaleable decontamination procedures and diagrams for responders and members of the public
Developing prioritized action list for specific incidents

ANTHRAX Example: Now know hot to better respond and decontaminate

## Volpe’s Scope

- Support decontamination training & exercises
- Evaluate decontamination technologies
- Identify waste transportation and disposal alternatives
- Facilitate coordination and information sharing among Federal, state, and local transportation agencies
- Coordinate decontamination research & development among EPA and DOT agencies

**Notes:**
When EPA first came to Volpe looking for support we envisioned the following Scope:
Support decontamination training & exercises 
Evaluate decontamination technologies
Identify decontamination Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Identify waste transportation and disposal alternatives
Facilitate coordination and information sharing among Federal, state, and local transportation governments 
Coordinate decontamination research & development among EPA and DOT agencies

## Tasks Underway

- Decontamination Portfolio
- Agent Research
- Transportation
- Disposal
- Technical Support
- Specifications
- Cost Estimation
- Contact between DOT Agencies

**Notes:**
When the paper work made it through its long administrative journey the tasks were modified

For the portfolio we are researching the following agents:
Chem – Sarin, Mustard, Vx
Bio – Anthrax, Plague, Smallpox, Tularemia, Foot and Mouth Disease, Ricin
Rad – Cesium 137, Strontium 50

Specifically for the transportation and disposal of them

Research is difficult due to the sensitivity of agent information.  Also, DOT regulations do not encompass all CBRN agents. 

This may come down to contacting each state to see what they allow in their landfills or processing facilities b/c not all waste can be transported cross state lines (I.e. Vx – warfare agents must stay with the state it was created). 

The Volpe Center has an effective procurement plan.  The Decon Team is drawing upon our abilities to assist their Contracting Officers.  We are assisting the Decon Team develop technical specifications and cost estimates so they can acquire decontamination analytical and technical services

As a representative of the DOT. Contacting other administrations within the DOT to gather information and create relationships

We are also involved with attending traing and plannig exercises (San Fran and NYC)

## Decontamination and Transportation

- Decontamination in Japanese Subway

- Disinfection of Aircraft

**Notes:**
Decontamination of transportation systems is a significant concern for DOT.  With consideration to terrorist acts, pandemics, as well as other contaminants that we introduce deliberately.  As part of our role in NDT, we’ll be following the progress of decontamination research being conducted within the DOT.  I’m going to discuss an example of ongoing FAA research into decontamination of aircraft.  This research is part of FAA’s Airliner Cabin Environment Research looking into all sorts of issues associated with air quality on aircraft.   

## Number of air passengers quadrupled in the last 30 years
More older and younger people flying
Aircraft cabin different from other indoor environments
Passengers and cabin crew continue to raise concerns
Key studies and reports led to smoking bans, other actions, and recommendations:
1986 and 2001 NRC studies
2004 GAO Report

- More older and younger people flying
- Aircraft cabin different from other indoor environments
- Passengers and cabin crew continue to raise concerns
- Key studies and reports led to smoking bans, other actions, and recommendations:
- 1986 and 2001 NRC studies
- 2004 GAO Report

**Aircraft Cabin Environment**

**Notes:**
Air quality and the the aircraft cabin environment has been a growing concern for the last 2 decades.

Number of air passengers quadrupled in the last 30 years
More older and younger people flying including:
Adults with medical conditions (cardio vascular and pulmonary diseases), children, and infants
Aircraft cabin different from other indoor environments
High occupant density, inability to leave at will, need for pressurization
Low humidity, reduced air pressure, potential exposure to contaminants
Ozone, CO, organic chemicals, and biological agents
Passengers and cabin crew continue to raise concerns
Key studies and reports led to smoking bans, other actions, and recommendations:
1986 and 2001 NRC studies
2004 GAO Report

## Air Quality Issues

**Air Quality Issues**

- 20 years later still unresolved issues and new concerns
- Adequacy of existing regulations for CO, CO2, O3, ventilation, and cabin pressure
- Lack of operational data and compliance status
- Need for air quality and health surveillance data
- Need and feasibility of particle/vapor removal
- Effects of allergens on sensitive populations
- Availability of health information and risks of flying
- Removal of passengers and crew when ventilation
-     failures occur on the ground
- Research on incidents and exposures
- Renewed interest after 2003 SARS and recent Avian Flu outbreaks

**Notes:**
29 probable in-flight SARS cases reported by WHO

## FAA Airliner Cabin Environment Research

- FAA Air Transportation Center of Excellence
- Established by FAA 9/9/2004
- $8.5 M funded by FAA in FY04
- Technical Co-Leads: Harvard University and Purdue
- Administrative Lead: Auburn University
- _[http://www.acer-coe.org/](http://www.acer-coe.org/)_

**Notes:**
Other Members: Boise State University, Kansas State University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California-Berkeley, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

## FAA ACER Research Projects

## FAA ACERDecontamination Research

- Objective
- Develop and test strategies for decontaminating
-    aircraft following a chemical-biological incident
- Major Tasks:
- Survey decontamination technologies
- Study decontamination methods:
- Efficacy
- Materials Compatibility
- Practicality of Delivery
- $3.0 M Funded by FAA in FY05

**Notes:**

Objective
Develop and test strategies for decontaminating
   aircraft following a chemical-biological incident
Both unintentional contamination (e.g., influenza
    outbreak) and response to malevolent deeds
    (e.g, terrorism)
Major Tasks:
Survey decontamination technologies
Study decontamination methods:
Efficacy: Range of toxins/pathogens technology is capable of removing
Materials Compatibility: Risk of damage to structural or other components
Practicality of Delivery: Difficulty and safety of treatment

## Questions?

## Slide 17