Facilitator

Bob Barry (CFA)

Speakers

Gary O'Sullivan (Terminals)

David Fitzgerald (Shell Refinery)

Mick De Witt

Ian Beswicke (CFA)

Colin Reid

Phil Wilson (Police)

Libby Davis (SES)

Neil McKenzie (EPA)

Andrew Forbes (Worksafe)

Kevin Garde (CoGG)

Ken Stanley (Toll Ports)

Don Smith (Ambulance)

Committee Members

Robin Saunders (Chair)

Katie Rafferty (Minute Taker)

Sue McLean (Geelong Community for Good Life)

Joe Cicero

Carlo Fasolino (Terminals Pty Ltd)

Geoff Millard

Angelo Smarelli

Karen Sherlock

Peter Linaker (Community Representative)

Franceska Desalak (Special Monitors of Geelong)

Bill Aitken (Northern Community Consultative Group)

Catherine Jones (Green Party)

Sue Kelly-Turner (Geelong Community Forum)

Ralph Taylor (Community Representative)

Bob Barry

With a PowerPoint Presentation stated the following:

Aim of "Exercise Vapour"

To exercise participants with the general responsibility for emergency management in line with Terminals, Shell & Port Emergency Management Plans

To provide the TGCCC with an overview of Emergency Management Plans & Procedures

Objectives

To ensure that emergency management roles and responsibilities of Terminals, Shell & Port of Geelong are appropriate to deal with all emergencies;

To test arrangements for Terminals preparedness for, response to and recovery from emergencies;

To test the adequacy of the Terminals Emergency Plan and associated procedures, and;

To provide the TGCCC with an overview of how emergencies are managed in the Terminals / Shell precinct.

Rules of Engagement for the meeting

Representatives of each of the ESO's and Agency participating will be asked to respond to specific questions

TGCCC members will refrain from intervention &/or questions until their nominated break

The facilitators may cut an answer short in the interests of exploring the scenario further

"The umpires decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into!"

Reference Documents/PlansReference Documents/Plans

The main document source:

Terminals Emergency Management Plan

Shell Emergency Management Plan

Port of Geelong Emergency Management Plan

Supporting document source:

CoGG Emergency Plan

R2D2 Emergency Plan

Emergency Management Manual Victoria

CFA Major Hazard Facility Plans

CFA

Responds to gas leaks, fires, hazardous chemical spills.

EPA

Provides a support role to Authorities, except where it takes control of pollution on water.

Police

Explained R2D2 as Region 2 Division 2, (the region includes the Terminals site) and follows a local plan. The police become the coordinator for the incident response.

Port of Geelong

Follow the Whole of Port Plan and the detailed plan for each facility. The group is part of the management of the plan.

Shell

Follows the major or minor crisis plan (including the jetty) and Shell EMP.

SES

Undertake flood, storm, natural disasters and support other agencies.

GoGG

The CoGG has its own plans for events.

Ambulance

Area 1 has disaster manuals for the Port, Shell and Terminals and a communication centre in Geelong.

Worksafe

Covers OHS, Dangerous goods legislation, administer and serve legislation. Can respond to a MHF incident within an hour.

Terminals

Site Emergency Management Plan

Bob

Set the scene for the general idea of the emergency scenario:

Today is Sunday August 27th. The time is 1000 hours. (worst case scenario)

4 Ships are berthed at Refinery Pier and Lascelles Wharf

Unloading activities are underway at both Wharfs. Refinery pier has product being unloaded for Shell and Terminals

Terminals are unloading VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER (VCM)

The weather is currently 12 degrees Celsius and predicted to reach a top of 17 degrees.

The wind is currently South East at 5 - 10 Klm/hr.

Minimal cloud cover with a sunny day predicted.

Bob Barry

Asked each speaker to detail Resources Immediately Available on such a day (at first and then by recall):

ESO's - Police, Fire, Ambulance, VicSES

Shell

Terminals,

CoGG Emergency Management personnel

DHS

WorkSafe & EPA

Port - TOLL and VRCA

Other Agencies present that would be involved in am emergency

CFA

4-5 people on duty, volunteers to be called in as required. 8 to 12 could respond within 20 minutes from three stations in the vicinity (Geelong City, Corio and Lara) with further people over time. Sunday is a day when volunteers would generally be widely available.

Police

16 police on duty, all crews on the road

Ambulance

6 crews plus duty manager, 6 on recall

SES

Duty officer may be in Geelong or Hamilton, 4(-6?) volunteer (units?) officers, plus 2 or 3 on recall

Shell

14 at immediate response then 10 more by recall

Terminals

4 onsite or berth conducting ship discharge

CoGG

1 duty officer, emergency management personnel by call back

Worksafe

1 person, 2-3 recall and a dozen over an hour.

EPA

1 immediately, another over two hours

Port

1 immediately, 12 in an hour, 40 in two hours

Bob Barry

Emergency Equipment

Terminals - what emergency equipment and procedures are in place for the pier area?

Shell Refinery - what emergency equipment and procedures are in place for the pier area?

Terminals

Utilise Shell's equipment and curtain spray

Shell

Wharves have overhead monitors, water and foam, fire-fighting facility with remote control from the back gate.

Toll

Fire fighting facilities on the ship. It is the Captain's responsibility for systems on ships.

Bob Barry

Showed photos that illustrate the pipes used when unloading VCM from the ship and gave the following details of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM):

Colourless Liquefied Gas with sweet ether-like odour.

S7 Dangerous poison

Extremely Flammable, Pool fires, Jet fires - pipework, flash fires. Burning will emit toxic fumes, Hydrogen Chloride, Phosgene, oxides of Carbon. Flammability Range 4 -33% (v/v)

Flash Point -78 Degree Celsius

Vapour cloud explosion, BLEVE,

May cause cancer, carcinogen

Freeze burns, direct skin contact

Heavier than air RVD = 2.2

Detailed the following emergency scenario:

A high-pressure discharge line splits during unloading.

VCM is discharging onto the deck area. Pools of the product are producing large volume of gas & vapour.

There is potential for a flash fire &/or vapour explosion

No fire ensuing from the leak at this stage.

Bob Barry

Actions/Response/Approach

Port Facility Operators - Terminals / Shell

Who would be first to respond and from where?

What would you expect to find?

What initial actions would you take?

What communications would take place - ships, Terminals, Shell

Emergency Services

Emergency Services arrive - Fire & Police

What initial actions would you take?

Who is in control?

Where would initial control be established?

Who's Emergency Plan would be enacted

Terminals

In the worst-case scenario, it may be 2-3 minutes before the line split is detected. There are two operators on the jetty and two ship crew on deck watch.

1. Terminals operator on the jetty would hit the emergency stop to the ship.

2. Both operators would evacuate the jetty and

3. hit the Terminal emergency shut off valve -

4. a 25/30 second closure time. The product is being pumped at 330 tonnes /hour, equivalent to 350 cubic metres/hour, giving some 3500 to 4000 litres spilt in 25 seconds.

5. Notify Shell, radio to Terminals, Emergency call out to the CFA then all operators would move to the Shell muster point on berth and advise Shell. All operations cease and the gas monitoring equipment (PID's) would come out. There would be radio communication with the ship and the ship would implement their action plan.

This procedure is all documented, and preservation of life would take precedence over materials.

Shell

Would sound the minor alarm. The fire fighting system would be brought into service. Fire monitors would be turned on by remote control. Water would be sprayed to disperse the gas. The CFA would be notified and the back gates would be shut off - no entry. There would be radio and telephone communication to the ship. Would put the emergency plan into operation while getting further advice from Gary at Terminals, and keep on spraying with water.

CFA (Colin, on duty)

Follow standard operating procedures. Operators would get dressed, three trucks would be sent out. The aerial boom would be used for Terminals. Wind direction would be checked prior to leaving. While there would be no information on the incident at this stage, there is a Terminals folder in the pumper for staff to inspect. Vic fire through the CAD centre in the World Trade Centre would be in touch with CFA.

Police

Would ask safest approach route and where the forward command point was.

CFA Control (Ian)

The Emergency Management Act specifies who is in control (see also Part 6 of the Emergency Manual). The CFA is in control, and Control is established at the front gate of Terminals.

Would follow Terminals Emergency Plan and Shell's EMP would also be followed. There would be a three-brigade response with trucks from Corio, Geelong City and Lara. The Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Centre in Melbourne would have them linked together—communications and alarms.

Bob Barry

Situation/Community

Would the community be aware of what is going on? Sirens / Emergency Services response.

Are Terminals &/ or Shell engaging the community at this stage?

What notification are the ESO's giving the community?

Fire service together with Shell are dealing with on ground operations

VRCA are dealing with other ships via radio

Terminals & Shell undertaking emergency procedures

Media is going ballistic

Toll

Would deal with other ships by radio along with Victorian Regional Channel Authority and Lascelles.

The emergency services would not notify the community at this stage until information had been gained. The media would be listening to the Emergency Services radio transmissions and would be [OE]going ballistic".

DISCUSSION BREAK

The community reps formulated questions to be presented at a later stage—see separate document

Scenario Part Two — the incident unfolds (generally this stage represents the second hour after the incident)

Bob Barry

Command/Control/Communication

Terminals

Said it would now be a large vapour leak with a toxic vapour cloud 340-400m from the source. (The main gate is 500m from the jetty.) . The concentration of VCM would be 1000ppm (not in the flammable range, which has a lower threshold of 36,000 ppm). A mist or fog would be visible over the water and since it was heavier than air is would be low. Discharge into the sea would boil off. The worst-case scenario would be that the cloud would be around the gatehouse. It might track up the channel. The vapour would have to be at 7000ppm for the gas alarms to go off. At the 1000 ppm concentration it could possibly be smelt. At the end of the jetty where it meets the terminal the vapour cloud may or may not rise over the 3m bank.

Bob Barry

Asked what would happened if there was some concentration at Shell?

Gary

Stated it would need to be a concentration of 36,000 ppm for the alarms to go off.

Terminals

There is monitoring equipment from Terminals and Shell. The CFA monitoring equipment (TMX) would be used to ascertain where the vapour cloud was. There is also counter terrorism monitoring equipment.

Bob Barry

Asked who is responsible for accounting for personnel on the wharf?

Terminals

Would be at the Gatehouse. Shell gate-house has a tally of two people on the wharf.

CFA (Colin)

Said he would liaise with Gary to make sure everyone was accounted for, and to see if anyone needed rescue. The police would be called for traffic control. The EPA would be contacted as the incident involved a spill. Terminals would notify Worksafe. The CFA regional duty officer would be on the scene.

Bob Barry

Asked where Control would be exercised from in this second hour into the incident.

CFA

Control would still be exercised from the front gate of Terminals. Would ask for the mobile communications van (MCV) to be brought in to compile an emergency management team. The team would combat the emergency at hand. The CFA, Police, SES, EPA and Worksafe agency commanders would represent them in the team.

Bob Barry

Asked where an Incident Control Centre & an Operations Point (FCP) would be established.

CFA

If the incident was likely to be prolonged, an incident control centre (ICC) would be set up at the regional control centre in Separation St. in the first 1-1.5 hours of the incident. All agencies would be there to look at the big picture. CFA doesn't move control until the ICC is up and running, and they formally take over control.

Terminals

As far as the VCM is concerned, what hit the deck would have flashed off as vapour and whatever hit the water would have boiled off. The vapour cloud may be at the back of the Shell Terminal. Some VCM would be coming out of the intact hose and people could now be sent in to isolate that, wearing gas masks. The gas would be dispersed closer to shore and at this stage there would not be a risk of flammability.

Bob Barry

Asked how the CFA would approach sending people in.

CFA (Colin)

Would use the Data Base to get information on VCM. (Would rely on data chem. Info from Vicfire regarding VCM?). Protective equipment required would be determined by this information. Breathing apparatus would be used but gas suit is not required. The PID (photo ionisation detector) would be used to measure the ppm of VCM. Crews would be briefed at appropriate locations.

Bob Barry

Asked where staging would be established?

CFA (Ian)

Near Terminals, the Shell fire station.

Bob Barry

Asked what notifications would be being made and by whom?

Terminals

WorkCover, CFA would tell EPA, Gary would tell his bosses (Carlo).

Shell

Would be under the Direct Management Team

CFA

Given the scenario, the community would be given minimal information (probably just that the incident was under control). Colin said he would tell his boss to keep him in the loop, so that the media could be briefed.

In response to a question about Occupational Health and Safety, and a query from Don Smith about when he'd be advised, advice was provided that the ambulance would have been notified earlier in the piece and an ambulance would be on standby.

Bob Barry

Asked what EMP's would be being used?

CFA (Ian)

Terminals' and Shells' (Wharf? or EMP?) plans would be being used, and the CoGG's if the community is involved.

COGG

The Community Arrangements plan would be being used.

Bob Barry

Asked where coordination would take place?

Police

Role to co-ordinate resources to the Community Arrangements plan. They would be responsible for road closures and diversions. COGG and DHS would be notified by police to know what resources might be needed.

Bob Barry

Asked if a MECC would be established?

COGG

Would make recovery arrangements. The Recovery Manager would organise through DHS relief centres. The Municipal Emergency Communication Centre (MECC) would be set up in all probability and if an MECC was not set up, the CoGG MERO (Municipal Emergency Response Officer) would go to Separation Street (within 45 minutes).

Bob Barry

Asked what linkages there would be between Control and Coordination?

CFA (Ian)

Said they would be sitting side by side, and would have meetings with all the key players.

Bob Barry

Queried Traffic Management—what and by who?

CFA (Colin)

Going back to the initial phase: CFA would advise the police what CFA thought should be done.

Terminals

Would suggest isolating Port and School Roads and St Georges Road at the Salt Works as well as the Yacht Club road along the foreshore.

Shell

Shell could block the roads within 6-7 minutes.

CFA (Ian)

Said during the second hour they would consider what was unfolding, and there'd be close coordination between CFA and the Police ("joined at the hip").

Police

Said they would look along the shore to see what's going on along the bay. Water Police and the Coast Guard would also be notified.

In response to a question as to whether Toll would use a vessel to spray water, Ian advised that that was a call that would be made by CFA, and the answer would be probably not.

Bob Barry

Recovery arrangements - made to bring the community back to normality and may occur during the response stage of the emergency.

Bob Barry

Asked whether EMP's cover immediate recovery arrangements.

CFA

Stated their plans cover recovery. They can include counselling, relief centre and damage to the environment. Control centres should continue until recovery is in place. SES has a very big role in this.

Bob Barry

Asked what considerations would be being made regarding environmental damage and by who?

Do EMP's cover environmental impact and damage control?

EPA

To consider the environmental damage. EMP's cover the environmental impact and damage control.

CoGG

Said the 2006 plan will have a section on the environment. The Harbour Master would be out on the water keeping in contact with the Water Police. (The Victorian Channel Authority has a new vessel in the harbour with fire fighting capability.)

Bob Barry

Evacuation/Community Warnings

Evacuation

Consideration by who?

How will it occur?

Where to?

Evacuation from Ships? How and when by who?

CFA

We are the combating agency (Control Agency) and we'd do evacuation in cooperation with the Police.

Terminals

Would be evacuated on site under the CFA.

Shell

The southern end of Shell would be evacuated to the other end of the site.

Toll

Ship personnel would be advised to stay on the ships, to close down and seal up the vessel. Work on Lascelles Wharf would be stopped.

Ambulance

People on foot would be picked up by Emergency Services eg ambulance if exposed. An ambulance would be on standby at Norlane Station, forward command post and senior liaison at Separation Street.

Bob Barry

Community Warnings

What warnings will be provided to the community and by whom?

Who will approve this messaging?

How will the messages be delivered to the community?

Media - who will deal with the media and where?

CFA (Ian)

It's our responsibility and we'd do it through the police. Sometimes it's better to say nothing (to deter site see-ers).

Police and general discussion

Would co-ordinate community warnings, which would be broadcast through the media liaison office onto radio 774. Often there is no one in the radio studios, where broadcasts are automated from tape over the weekend. Local media can be organised with a phone call to the station manager but there would definitely be delayed information to the community. It is extremely difficult to get a message through to the local community.

Terminals

Stated there would be no need to notify the community in this scenario.

CFA

As far as the media are concerned, roadblocks would also control access by the media. A no fly zone for helicopters could be arranged if needed through the Police Air Wing via Air Traffic Control.

Bob Barry

Defusion/Debriefing

After the successful combating of this incident what level of debriefing would occur?

What level of record management would each agency undertake?

CFA

Process and decisions would be questioned. The incident controller would be questioned. Terminals would be involved in the debrief and a multi agency debrief would take place. Improvement cycles with the action plan would be made with recommendations.

Police

Mr Steve Barber (Divisional Chief) would get involved, multi agency involvement.

CFA

Each agency would do it internally first, and then all together, capturing what went well, and what didn't go so well. If there was a death involved, it would be very important to keep detailed records. The Coroner made 100 recommendations after the Linton fire. CFA disagreed with about 30 of them, and didn't implement those 30.

Bob Barry

Allowed questions from the community representatives.

Joe Cicero

Asked who makes decisions to stand down agencies?

Bob Barry

The incident controller is able to stand down agencies.

Peter Linaker

Asked who authorises evacuations, and return?

CFA

The chain of command goes from the Incident Controller to Agencies and then to the community.

WorkSafe

A full written report is needed before operation of the site is re-commenced. Where a MHF is involved, a review and revision of the Safety Case is also required before the plant can start back up. This acceptance of the revision of the Safety Case must be the subject of a notice (a written letter) from WorkSafe.

Franceska Desalak  

Asked who has responsibility for people (and kids) who might be walking along the foreshore?

Police

Said if it was safe to send staff, they would do it.

Joe Cicero

Asked what access there is onto the pier by emergency vehicles?

Shell

Shell vehicles and CFA vehicles can access the pier.

Sue McLean

Asked how the CFA work out what vehicles are sent out?

CFA (Colin) and general discussion

The officer in charge decides.

The initial response from Corio would be one pumper and one tele-boom appliance, and a supporting pumper would be sourced from Geelong City and Lara. If further information was received, the CFA would consider sending the hazardous materials unit (which has decontamination equipment on board).

Katie Rafferty

From personal experience, thanked CFA and the emergency services in general for their superb performance in the recent Anakie fires.

Robin Saunders

On behalf of the community members of the TGCCC, thanked the CFA and agencies present for an excellent and informative meeting.

Meeting closed at 9.45pm.