Emergency Response Planning

Facilities that use certain hazardous materials are required to develop and implement an emergency response program to address accidental releases of chemicals. The emergency response program must specify actions to be taken to protect human health and the environment following the accident. Specific procedures include actions to be taken to notify the public and local agencies.

Although owners and operators of subject facilities are responsible for ensuring effective emergency responses at their facilities, the rule does not necessarily require the development of emergency response capabilities. The rule therefore provides alternatives for compliance.

For Program 1 Process(s):

• Subject facilities must ensure that response procedures have been coordinated with local emergency planning and response organizations.

Non-Responding Facilities:

• For facilities with regulated toxic substances, the source must be included in the community emergency response plan developed under 42 U.S.C. 11003;
• For facilities with regulated flammable substances, the source must coordinate response actions with the local fire department; and
• Facilities must have appropriate mechanisms in place to immediately notify emergency responders when the need for response occurs.

Responding Facilities:

• Must develop an emergency response plan to include:
  • Procedures for informing the public;
  • Appropriate first aid procedures; and
  • Response procedures.
• Must develop procedures for the use of emergency response equipment;
• Must train all employees in relevant procedures;
• Must have procedures for the review and update of the plan; and
• Must coordinate the emergency response with the community emergency response plan developed under 42 U.S.C. 11003.

Accidental Releases Reported In North Carolina

The program monitors reports of chemical accidents. Companies are required to report accidents when they involve an injury, fatality or evacuation. As the red trend line in the chart below demonstrates, the number of reported accidents continues to trend downward since the beginning of the program in 1998.

Available Resources

• North Carolina Division of Public Safety: Resource link to local and county emergency management associations.
• EPA's Office of Emergency Management: Resource link to help the regulated community, government entities, and concerned citizens prevent, prepare for, and respond to environmental emergencies.
• Regional Response Team Region IV: EPA Region IV resource link for responding federal, state, commonwealth, and local On-Scene Coordinators and Remedial Project Managers to significant oil and hazardous substance incidents.
• National Response Center: On-Line reporting and tracking tool of chemical accidents.
• U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB): An independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial and chemical accidents.
• U.S. National Response Team (NRT): A technical resource for preparedness, planning, response and recovery activities involving hazards substances, pollutants and contaminants, and weapons of mass destruction in natural and technical disasters and other environmental incidents of national significance.
• National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials (NASTTPO): An association focused on promoting effective and efficient use of resources to respond to and plan for incidents involving hazardous chemicals; and to promote community-right to-know.