Oxidizers and explosives have been used as weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). For this assignment, you are the lead incident commander for Star City Fire Department, which is responding to an explosion at the Regional Federal Building in downtown Star City. In preparing to respond to this incident, you noted that it appears to be eerily similar to the 1995 terrorist incident at the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Information relevant to this case study incident is provided below.
- The ambient temperature today at 3:00 pm was 75°F, with winds blowing at 10 mph from the northwest to the southeast.
- The Regional Federal Building in Star City is located in a congested downtown area with an interstate freeway passing within 200 yards southwest of the Regional Federal Building.
- Approximately 1,550 people work at or visit the Regional Federal Building on any given weekday.
- The building alarm to evacuate workers and visitors from the building was sounded immediately.
Assuming that the explosive blasting agent used for this Star City incident is ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO), address the questions below in your case study.
- Based on what we know of ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO), what are the potential hazards and DOT classifications?
- Describe interactions of chemicals, potential for them to react, and the conditions necessary for reactions to occur.
- Describe the course of action of emergency response personnel and safe distances/evacuation per ERG guidance (https://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/).
- Describe PPE and equipment resources needed.
Your response must be at least two pages in length, not counting the title page and references page. Also, make certain your assignment is formatted in essay form, as it should not contain extensive bulleted lists of information or data. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced. Paraphrased and quoted materials must have accompanying in-text and reference citations in APA format. A minimum of two sources, one of which must come from the CSU Online Library, should be used. Please adhere to APA Style when creating citations and references for this assignment.