Emergency Response Task Force

1. Opening Remarks by Chair

The Chair opened the meeting, welcomed the participants and took attendance.

2. Approval of the Agenda

The agenda was approved as presented.

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3. Approval of the November 20, 2014 Meeting Record of Decision

The November 20, 2014 Decision Record is considered approved after the following correction is made to action item 5:

ACTION ITEM:

• The ER Task Force Secretariat will correct the text in action item 5 from “high risk sites” to “high risk commodities”.

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4. Update on ER Task Force Subgroup 1 – Building on PD 33 and Industry Approach

The Vice-chair presented Subgroup 1’s proposals to the ER Task Force for consideration as potential recommendations to Transport Canada.

ACTION ITEM: The ER Task Force members were asked to provide feedback on the following proposals at the next ER Task Force meeting (January 15, 2015). These proposals will be put forward for discussion and decision at the next meeting.

Proposal 1: Establish a regional TDG flammable liquids training curricula in Canada utilizing an already established transportation emergency response training centre in Canada

• Consider specifying that it would be a training centre in Eastern Canada
• A training centre should also be established in Quebec and offer the curricula in French

Proposal 2: Request the Federal/Provincial /Territorial (F/P/T) Task Force address Part 8 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDG Regulations), specifically immediate reporting notification to local fire services.

• The Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, Environmental Compliance and Enforcement, Government of Manitoba representative will bring the issue forward with the F/P/T Task Force Chair, with the expectation that the issue will be brought to the F/P/T Task Force’s attention during their May 2015 meeting. He will follow-up with the ER Task Force at our next meeting.

Proposal 3: Consensus on a Flammable Liquids Technical Advisor job description, including roles and responsibilities, knowledge, training, education and experience.

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5. Update on ER Task Force Subgroup 2 – Incident Management

A presentation was made on the IM Subgroup’s objective, issues, gaps and proposed solutions. Charts were included in the presentation that illustrated the following major considerations:

• Incident Management Emergency Preparedness
  and Response Cycle;
• Unified Command Structure for Major Railway DG Incidents; and
• Roles and Responsibilities Chart for primary response agencies.

ACTION ITEM: A draft report and recommendations has been circulated to Subgroup members for comment with the final report expected to be considered at the next Task Force meeting (January 15, 2015).

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6. CANUTEC Update on CSX

Angelo Boccanfuso provided participants with an update on CANUTEC activities of interest to the ER Task Force:

2016 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)
CANUTEC provided feedback on the status of the ER Task Force’s “Recommendation No. 1 – 2016 Emergency Response Guidebook ERAP Information”.

CANUTEC will be meeting with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) at the end of January. It has been suggested that products requiring an ERAP be highlighted in the orange pages and that a description be included in the white pages of the ERG.

Real-time Data
ACTION ITEM: CANUTEC will provide feedback on Real-time data at the January 15, 2015 meeting.

Outreach and Awareness Action Plan
An Outreach and Awareness action plan was drafted. CANUTEC will continue to work with the ER Task Force Secretariat.

Situation Centre
Finally, the Director, CANUTEC reminded participants that CANUTEC has moved to the Transport Canada Situation Centre. If ER Task Force members wish to tour the Situation Centre, they can contact the Director, CANUTEC directly.

Angelo Boccanfuso
Director, CANUTEC
Transport Canada

7. Presentation on Lessons in Major Disaster Management – Lac-Mégantic and L’Isle-Verte

René Cayer made a presentation on lessons learned from Lac-Mégantic and L’Isle-Verte. The presentation was well received.

Captain Cayer spoke about interoperability and incident command management, specifically the management and coordination of people, communications and logistics during an incident.

Captain Cayer also described the Filet IV Plan which is used to address mass casualties during an incident.

Captain René Cayer
Sûreté du Québec

8. Update on Fire Service Training

The Chair made a presentation on fire service training standards in Canada outlining how the requirements for a Flammable Liquids Training Program would differ from the basic firefighter training provided through National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 and NFPA 472 (current Canadian Fire Service training standards).

• NFPA 1001 identifies the minimum job performance requirements for career and volunteer firefighters whose duties are primarily structural in nature. NFPA 1001 includes both Firefighter I and II; and
• NFPA 472 identifies the minimum levels of competence required to respond to emergencies involving hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction. NFPA 472 includes awareness, operations and technician levels.

The results were from a survey carried out by the ER Task Force Secretariat on provincial/territorial fire service training standards.

FINDING: The survey conducted in Subgroup 2 confirmed that the NFPA standards are used as the current Canadian Fire Service training standards. These standards do not provide a comprehensive training standard documented for flammable liquids.

DECISION: There is consensus among ER Task Force members that there is a deficiency and as a result the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards need to be reviewed and amended to include a flammable liquids training component.

Chris Powers
Chair, ER Task Force
Transport Canada

9. Presentation on NFPA Training Standards Process and Requirements for Amendment Submissions

Shayne Mintz made a presentation on the NFPA standards process, and outlined the options and requirements for amendment submissions.

ACTION ITEM: ER Task Force members can contact Shayne Mintz directly if they have any questions or require further information. He is able to facilitate information requests from the ER Task Force or interactions from the Council.

Mr. Mintz informed the Task Force that the deadline to submit a Project Initiating Form is January 31, 2015. He also offered to have NFPA sponsor a “Summit” meeting with members from the Task Force to explore this further. This would be an NFPA meeting and the members would have to agree to attend at their own cost. Further details to be discussed between Shayne Mintz and the Secretariat.

DECISION: The members agreed to proceed with Option 1 and prepare an amendment submission (i.e. Project Initiating Form) for consideration by the NFPA.

ACTION ITEM: The ER Task Force Secretariat will prepare an amendment submission.

ACTION ITEM: The NFPA will provide further details on the proposed “Summit” meeting sponsored by the NFPA.

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ER Task Force Secretariat

Shayne Mintz
NFPA

10. Presentation on Lac-Mégantic Train Derailment

Denis Lauzon made a presentation on the July 6, 2013 train derailment in Lac-Mégantic. The presentation was well received.

Denis Lauzon

11. Next Steps

Participants were advised as Subgroups 1 and 2 are coming to a close that three additional subgroups will begin work in the new year.

Subgroup 3: Expansion of ERAP

Subgroup 3 will assess options for the potential expansion of the ERAP to include Class 3 flammable liquids transported by rail. The work will begin in February 2015.

ACTION ITEM: The Secretariat will send a call for members in January 2015.

Subgroup 4: ERAP Program Review

Subgroup 4 will identify data gaps and needs for monitoring and improving the delivery of the ERAP program. They will propose recommendations on opportunities for enhancing and strengthening the ERAP regime. The work will begin in February 2015.

ACTION ITEM: The Secretariat will send a call for members in February 2015.

Subgroup 5: First Responder Training

Subgroup 5 will assess training needs of First Responders.  The work will begin in January 2015.

ACTION ITEM: The Secretariat will send a call to members in December 2014.

Participants were advised of the proposed new methodology for subgroup meetings. In the future, issue papers will be sent to the respective subgroup members for comment and feedback. Meetings will be scheduled to discuss the content of the issue paper and to prepare recommendations. Participants agreed that this new methodology would work well.

Participants were reminded that all correspondence should go through the Secretariat (TC.ERTFSecretariat-SecretariatGTIU.TC@tc.gc.ca) for tracking purposes.

ER Task Force Secretariat

ER Task Force Secretariat

12. Roundtable –
Questions and Answers

ACTION ITEM: The representatives from the F/P/T Task Force will provide feedback to the ER Task Force regarding immediate reporting under Section 8.1 of the TDG Regulations.

The Director, CANUTEC would like the presentation on the Lac-Mégantic train derailment made to CANUTEC personnel.

ACTION ITEM: CANUTEC will provide the minutes of the First Responders teleconference to the Chair and the members of the ER Task Force if they would like a copy.

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Angelo Boccanfuso
CANUTEC

NEXT MEETING

When: Thursday, January 15, 2015
Where: 330 Sparks Street, Place de Ville – Tower C, Ottawa, Ontario (FC 27-28-29-30)
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST

Forward agenda:

• Subgroups will present their final report and recommendations;
• CANUTEC update;
• Presentation from the Alberta Emergency Management Agency Incident Management Support Team

Please note: Members wishing to make a presentation are required to submit any item/presentation documents to the ER Task Force Secretariat no later than two to three days in advance of the meeting date for distribution to all participants.

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