Emergency Response Task Force

Members were treated to a presentation on CANUTEC services as well as a visit of the Centre for those who were in attendance in person.

The ER TF Secretariat confirmed the submission to CANUTEC of the Task Force recommendation no. 1 that Transport Canada (TC) support a request to include basic information on the ERAP program in the reference section of the Guidebook and mark products that are required to have an ERAP with a Canadian logo for ease of reference.

Members were invited to submit their comments/feedback to that effect directly to CANUTEC through the following link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/dangerous-goods/canutec and were also reminded that the deadline to do so is September 18, 2014.

Subgroup 1 has been meeting since August 29, 2014 every Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and will do so until mid-October 2014. is focusing on building on Protection Directive (PD33) for the Transportation of Flammable Liquids by Rail as well as on the Industry approach to Emergency Response.So far, members have had the opportunity to meet twice to study the work plan, organize ideas and identify data needs.

Subgroup 2 has been meeting every Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. since August 27, 2014 and will be doing so until mid-October 2014. The discussion focuses on Incident management and command, including clarification of ERAP roles and responsibilities and outreach strategies. So far, members have been working on identifying gaps and data needs and are in the process of completing a roles and responsibility survey to assist with this task. The group also made recommendation no. 2 as follows:

• It is recommended that Transport Canada work with the Defense Research and Development Canada- Centre for Security Science (DRDC-CSS) to:
  • Establish collaboration between Transport Canada/Emergency Response Task Force with the existing CSS Eastern HAZMAT project.
  • Provide more information to TC on the Canadian Targeted Capability List – Canada (TCL-C) a framework describing the capabilities related to major all-hazards events.
  • Explore areas where CSS S&T Operational Research Expertise can assist the Emergency Response Task Force in the areas of risk (human health/economic), multi-disciplinary information sharing and response standards (Formal Resource Typing).
  • Explore opportunities to engage with the CSS on their Incident Exercise program to improve the understanding of roles and responsibilities of various agencies and industry when responding to TDG incidents. ERTF will explore possible scenarios to exploit the Center for Security Science' Exercise development and funding program. This program utilizes exercise of small and large scale, tabletop to full scale live exercises to develop and validate response planning. Exercises such as the current Transport Canada ERAP exercise series should be developed to practice and validate ICS/IMS, expanded ERAP, increased CANUTEC abilities etc. identified by the ERTF.

The ERTF members reached consensus on this recommendation.

The IM subgroup meeting of September 17, 2014 is cancelled. However, subgroup members are reminded to complete and submit their response to the survey on roles and responsibilities, to the ERTF Secretariat by September 17, 2014.

Subgroup 3 will begin its work once the two other subgroups have submitted their final report. The focus of this subgroup will be on the potential expansion of the ERAP requirement to other flammable liquids transported by rail. The creation of this subgroup will occur in October 2014 once subgroups 1 and 2 have completed their work.

Louis Laferrière,
Vice-Chair
ER Task Force

Chris Powers, Chair
ER Task Force

Prior to Subgroup 3 examining and assessing options for the potential expansion of the ERAP requirement to other Class 3 Flammable Liquids, the Task Force identified that large quantities of Ethanol are being shipped either through or to Canada from the United States under U.S. UN number 1987. As a result, in order to ensure equitable treatment of both shippers in Canada and U.S., the Task Force recommends that Transport Canada proceed in including Ethanol being shipped under UN code 1987 as part of the primary ERAP requirements for Class 3 Flammable Liquids, and that Transport Canada proceed with advising those shippers that maybe impacted by this recommendation so they may act accordingly with respect to ERAP Requirements.

The ERTF members reached consensus on this recommendation with the express support from the Renewable Fuels Association (U.S.).

In order to facilitate the work of the Task Force and the Subgroups, there is a requirement to provide data and information on which the members can base their recommendations. Therefore, in accordance with the TOR, the Task Force is directing the Secretariat to undertake to collect data and information as required from various sources and to facilitate analysis and distribution of the data to members of the Task Force.

The ERTF members agreed to this direction.

2015 meeting dates for the ERTF are confirmed as follows:

• January 15
• February 19
• March 19
• April 1
• May 14
• June 11

When: October 9, 2014
Where : Laurier Salon, Marriott Hotel, Ottawa
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT

Action item:

• (1) Task Force members are invited to propose agenda items or presentation no later than 12 days in advance of a meeting.

Please note: Members wishing to make a presentation are required to submit any item/presentation documents to the secretariat at least two to three days in advance of the meeting date for distribution to all participants. Please indicate permission to post on the website.

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