As hurricane season begins, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is reminding the public of steps it takes to guarantee chemical security and maintain public health and safety.
“As this hurricane season kicks off, we know that the National Hurricane Center is forecasting up to 21 named storms and as many as three to six major hurricanes. We also know this means our federal, state, and local emergency response planners will need actionable information about chemical threats and hazards to be prepared,” said Dr. Shannon Fox, director of S&T’s Chemical Security Analysis Center (CSAC).
CSAC takes six steps to maintain security:
- Information gathering on chemical facility infrastructure in a storm’s path, based on partner and open-source provided data
- Assess dangers posed by chemicals held within facilities likely to be in the storm’s path, as well as the properties of chemicals produced and stored therein
- Analyze storms’ forecasted strength and characteristics through modeling, determining the effects of forecasted storm surges and high winds
- Tracking storms’ predicted landfall times and determining potential damage
- Constant contact with emergency response planners to provide chemical hazard support to Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) national and regional assets
- Provide direct information to those in the field who are responding to the storm, including National Guard Civil Support Teams
Storms pose a real danger to infrastructure, and that, in turn, could lead to releases of hazardous materials like ammonia or chlorine, CSAC warned. Active preparation and response are crucial to managing these risks, and to that end, the agency also operates a 24/7 Technical Assistance hotline (410-417-0910). Their modeling and analysis inform responses to tropical storms, hurricanes, and other severe weather conditions.
“After the path of a hurricane is identified, and hazardous chemicals located at chemical plants in its path are determined, we determine the likely health hazards resulting from a potential release,” Dr. David Morton, leader of CSAC’s 24/7 response team, said. “With this data in hand, we use scenario analysis tools, such as the Chemical Consequence and Threat tool, to determine possible impacts to the public. We receive roughly 70 requests per year, with a significant portion during hurricane season, for critical, time-sensitive information to support emergency response efforts.”