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RESOURCES

The mission of the Region 10 Regional Response Team (RRT) and the Northwest Area Committee (NWAC) is to protect public health and safety and the environment by ensuring coordinated, efficient, and effective support of the federal, state, tribal, local, and international responses to significant oil and hazardous substance incidents within the Pacific Northwest Region as mandated by the National Contingency Plan (NCP). We are also committed to providing for the development of the NWAC plan and coordination of preparedness activities prior to a pollution incident by addressing regional and international issues and providing guidance to industry, State Emergency Response Commissions, Tribal Emergency Response Commissions, and Local Emergency Planning Committees.

     U.S. Coast Guard Incident Management Handbook (IMH) is designed to assist Coast Guard personnel in the use of the Incident Command System (ICS) during response operations. The IMH is intended to be used as an easy reference job aid for responders. 

     It is not a policy document, but rather guidance for response personnel. During development of the IMH, it was recognized that eighty-percent of all response operations share common principles, procedures and processes. The other twenty-percent of response operations are unique to the type of incident, such as a search and rescue case or an oil spill. The handbook is laid out so that the generic information applicable to all responses is presented up-front. For example, the duties and responsibilities of the Planning Section Chief (PSC) are found in the generic section since a PSC's job description under ICS does not change from one type of incident to another.

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The IMH is also available as an app for your smartphone or tablet.

     The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NPG) informs workers, employers, and occupational health professionals about workplace chemicals and their hazards. The NPG gives general industrial hygiene information for hundreds of chemicals/classes. The NPG clearly presents key data for chemicals or substance groupings (such as cyanides, fluorides, manganese compounds) that are found in workplaces. The guide offers key facts, but does not give all relevant data. The NPG helps users recognize and control workplace chemical hazards.

     NIOSH offers four versions of the NPG: print, online, PDF, and mobile web app.

     FEMA published ICS forms in the FEMA ICS Forms Booklet, FEMA 502-2.  These are only available via an Adobe PDF booklet.  The U.S. Coast Guard has adopted some of these for Coast Guard (USCG) use since they are the national standard.  Until they are fully implemented and format corrected to be usable, the USCG will continue to utilize the USCG All-Risk/All-Hazard Incident Command System (ICS) Forms.  The USCG ICS Forms are one of several tools that are available to support personnel managing a response to an incident and in completing an Incident Action Plan (IAP).  There will be several forms that the USCG has developed that NIMS has not recognized and these will continue to be maintained and used by the USCG. 
     The USCG adapted most of our forms from Wildfire NIIMS, and most of the changes made were to "blow the smoke/fire" off them and make them more all-risk, all-hazard. The USCG has added several forms for use that NIMS and Wildfire NIIMS does not recognize, including the 202a, 204a, 205a, 208, 213RR, 214a, 215a, etc.  All USCG forms have "-CG" after the form number. The USCG no longer recognizes the "-OS" forms which were our original "oil spill" adaptations but have put "-CG" behind all forms we have adapted or created.
     There are several forms the USCG has not adapted at all - which are the ICS 210, 213, 217, 218 and 219 (do not have -CG after them). These are forms that the USCG has chosen to use the Wildfire NIIMS forms without modification. These forms can be found in the NWCG. All wildfire NIIMS forms may be used instead of the Coast Guard versions.

     A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of a Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident (ERG) is used by emergency response personnel (such as firefighters, paramedics and police officers) in Canada, Mexico, and the United States when responding to a transportation emergency involving hazardous materials. It is produced by the United States Department of TransportationTransport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (Mexico).

The SDS includes information such as the properties of each chemical; the physical, health, and environmental health hazards; protective measures; and safety precautions for handling, storing, and transporting the chemical.

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