2004 Democratic National Convention

Boston, Massachusetts

July 23 to July 30, 2004

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

EPA Region 1 preEPA Region 1 pre--deployed response deployed response assets for the 2004 Democratic National assets for the 2004 Democratic National Convention (DNC) held on July 26 through Convention (DNC) held on July 26 through July 30, 2004, in Boston, MA. July 30, 2004, in Boston, MA.

The DNC was declared a National Special The DNC was declared a National Special Security Event (NSSE). Security Event (NSSE).

The Secret Service was designated to The Secret Service was designated to provide the Primary Federal Official. provide the Primary Federal Official.

The authority to implement the preThe authority to implement the pre--deployment deployment is provided in section 104 (b) of the is provided in section 104 (b) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund, Public Law 96Superfund, Public Law 96--510 as amended by 510 as amended by Public Law 107Public Law 107--142). 142).

The Secret Service assumed its mandated role The Secret Service assumed its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan.implementation of the operational security plan.

The goal of the cooperating agencies was to The goal of the cooperating agencies was to provide a safe and secure environment as well provide a safe and secure environment as well as to provide quick and efficient response as to provide quick and efficient response activities to consequences of WMD attacks. activities to consequences of WMD attacks.

OVERVIEW/CONCEPT OF OVERVIEW/CONCEPT OF OPERATIONSOPERATIONS

Threats associated with the DNC and the complex Threats associated with the DNC and the complex security and road closures in and around the Convention security and road closures in and around the Convention venues caused EPA to prevenues caused EPA to pre--deploy significant assets in deploy significant assets in Boston.Boston.

EPA Region I coordinated federal HAZMAT response EPA Region I coordinated federal HAZMAT response support with the USCG. support with the USCG.

EPA staffed liaison positions at the USCG Command EPA staffed liaison positions at the USCG Command Post, the City of Boston EOC, the FEMA Regional Post, the City of Boston EOC, the FEMA Regional Operations Center (ROC), the Joint Information Center Operations Center (ROC), the Joint Information Center (JIC) and the Interagency Modeling Group at Boston (JIC) and the Interagency Modeling Group at Boston Police HQ. Police HQ.

EPA and the USCG deployed five WMD/LevelEPA and the USCG deployed five WMD/Level--A A capable HAZMAT teams for the DNC. capable HAZMAT teams for the DNC.

The Unified AirThe Unified Air--Modeling Group was established Modeling Group was established to provide air dispersion modeling support for to provide air dispersion modeling support for the DNC. the DNC.

EPA Environmental Response TeamEPA Environmental Response Team��s (ERT) s (ERT) Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA), EPATAGA), EPARegion Region II��ss Mobile Command Post (MCP), and Mobile Command Post (MCP), and EPAEPA��s ASPECT Aircraft were pres ASPECT Aircraft were pre--deployed. deployed.

A partial COOP activation for the region and field A partial COOP activation for the region and field support work was conducted at EPAsupport work was conducted at EPA��s New s New England Regional Laboratory (NERL). England Regional Laboratory (NERL).

EPA RESPONSE GOALS AND EPA RESPONSE GOALS AND MISSIONMISSION

Mission # 1: Respond to routine oil and/or Mission # 1: Respond to routine oil and/or hazardous materials incidents in Region I.hazardous materials incidents in Region I.

Mission # 2:Mission # 2: Respond to routine oil and/or Respond to routine oil and/or hazardous materials or WMD incidents in hazardous materials or WMD incidents in Boston.Boston.

Mission # 3:Mission # 3: Respond to oil and/or Respond to oil and/or hazardous materials, or WMD incidents at the hazardous materials, or WMD incidents at the Fleet Center or other secure venues.Fleet Center or other secure venues.

DAILY OPERATIONS at EPA DAILY OPERATIONS at EPA AREA COMMANDAREA COMMAND

All deployed EPA personnel checked in with the Area All deployed EPA personnel checked in with the Area Command Situation Unit Leader. FEMA conducted Command Situation Unit Leader. FEMA conducted interagency (federal, state, and local) conference calls. interagency (federal, state, and local) conference calls.

The EPA Area Commander conducted briefings for The EPA Area Commander conducted briefings for Regional EPA senior staff twice daily, at 10:00 AM and Regional EPA senior staff twice daily, at 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. 6:00 PM.

The EPA Area Commander conducted a daily video The EPA Area Commander conducted a daily video conference briefing for EPA Headquarters, the Regional conference briefing for EPA Headquarters, the Regional Administrator, Deputy Regional Administrator, and Administrator, Deputy Regional Administrator, and Division Director at 11:00 AM Monday through Thursday. Division Director at 11:00 AM Monday through Thursday.

Twice each day, a situation report was sent to Twice each day, a situation report was sent to Headquarters.Headquarters.

EPA & BOSTON Web EOCEPA & BOSTON Web EOC

The Boston The Boston WebEOCWebEOC Site provided realSite provided real--time time information about responses to suspicious information about responses to suspicious packages and individuals by the Boston Police packages and individuals by the Boston Police Department, the State Police, and other Federal Department, the State Police, and other Federal and State agencies. and State agencies.

The EPA The EPA WebEOCWebEOC Site was for internal EPA Site was for internal EPA use and was updated regularly with realuse and was updated regularly with real--time time information concerning hazmat and public safety information concerning hazmat and public safety incidents/situations, and EPA personnel incidents/situations, and EPA personnel activities (e.g., shift change status, meetings activities (e.g., shift change status, meetings attended, and training conducted). attended, and training conducted).

EPAEPA��s s WebEOCWebEOC was used specifically to was used specifically to accomplish the following: accomplish the following:

(1) Task and request through the use of (1) Task and request through the use of ICS Form 213 ICS Form 213 �� General Message; General Message; (2) Provide all personnel with situational (2) Provide all personnel with situational updates through the Situation Board; and updates through the Situation Board; and (3) Provide senior EPA management with (3) Provide senior EPA management with realreal--time updates on significant incidents time updates on significant incidents or events through the Significant Event or events through the Significant Event Board. Board.

COMMAND STRUCTURECOMMAND STRUCTUREEPA has adopted the National Interagency EPA has adopted the National Interagency Incident Command System (NIIMS) Incident Command System (NIIMS) Incident Command System (Incident Command System (ICS)ICS) as our as our response management system to organize response management system to organize significant emergency responses. significant emergency responses.

EPA Region I used the ICS structure and EPA Region I used the ICS structure and principles to facilitate planning for the DNC principles to facilitate planning for the DNC deployment and then to manage/run deployment and then to manage/run operations during the DNC.operations during the DNC.

Safety OfficerRRC & Field OpsCris D'Onofrio (R2)

RRT

Planning Section ChiefEric Mosher (R2)

Logistics Section ChiefWing Chau

Finance/Admin SectionSharon Fennelly

Fran Kearns (7 am - 4 pm)Sires Rivers (2 pm - 8 pm)

Resource Unit

Situation UnitDan Wainberg

Documentation Unit

Support Branch

Supply Unit

Facilities Unit

Ground Support Unit

Information Officer/JIC RepA. Kaufman or D. Deegan

Demobilization Unit

Procurement Unit

Contract Support Unit

Services Branch

Communications Unit

Lab Unit

Time Unit

Cost Unit

Compensation/Claims Unit

Environmental UnitRob Maxfield

Planning Section SupportJim Daloia (R2)Melanie Pincus

Paul Peronard (R8) (while JOC is not activated)

Critical Resource Unit

Information Technology Unit

Medical Unit

Food Unit

Region 1 - Area Command (RRC)Democratic National Convention (DNC) Pre-Deployment Staffing

1st Shift: 2 AM - 2:30 PM

Field OperationsIncident Commander

Tom Condon

Revised: July 7, 2004

RA/ Leadership Team

Boston EOC RepMike Nalipinski

FEMA ROC Rep

MACCDave McIntyre

FBI JOC RepPaul Peronard (R8)(if/when JOC activated)

EPRB Regular On-Call(at Chelmsford Lab)

Phone Duty: Frank GardnerResponse Duty: Mia

Pasquerella

Area CommanderSteve Novick

Liaisons

Boston Police HqAir Modeling

START Personnel

USCG LiasonMike Barry

OSC'S On-SiteRich Haworth

Tom Hatzopoulos

Incident CommanderTom Condon

Liaison OfficerAt Area Command

Safety OfficerCris D'Onofrio

Operations Section ChiefLeslie Sims

ASPECT GroupMark Thomas (R7)

(On-Call)

Planning Section ChiefTom Condon

Logistics Section ChiefAllen Jarrell

Finance/Admin Section ChiefAt Area Command

Resource Unit

Situation Unit

Information OfficerAt Area Command

Documentation UnitJim Byrne

Region 1 - Incident Command (Field Ops - Tactical Focus)Democratic National Convention (DNC) PreDeployment Staffing

1st Shift: 2 AM - 2:30 PMCommand Post: MSO Boston

Revised: July 7, 2004

Area Command / RRCCommander:Steve Novick

Sampling Team

MRRV

ERT GroupJoAnn Camacho

(On-Call for this Shift)

Medical GroupNDMS Personnel

Response/Level A GroupLeslie Sims

START Response TeamLeader:

Eric Ackerman (START) TAGA

Environmental UnitRob Maxfield

Science Advisor (Radiological)

Ed Sensintaffar (ORIA)

USCG AST

Rapid Assessment Team

TRAINING AND EXERCISE TRAINING AND EXERCISE

!! All EPA and contractor personnel deployed, including All EPA and contractor personnel deployed, including regional staff, ERT, and START personnel, conducted regional staff, ERT, and START personnel, conducted regular interagency training, drills, and exercises with regular interagency training, drills, and exercises with local, state, and federal response partners during local, state, and federal response partners during DNC deployment periods. DNC deployment periods.

!! Readiness and preparedness activities focused on Readiness and preparedness activities focused on the following: the following:

Equipment CapabilitiesEquipment Capabilities

Field Response ProtocolsField Response Protocols

Communications and Incident Data ManagementCommunications and Incident Data Management

EquipmentEquipment CapabilitiesCapabilities

air monitoringair monitoring

plume modelingplume modeling

WMD monitoringWMD monitoring

radiological monitoringradiological monitoring

mobile weather stationmobile weather station

Field Response ProtocolsField Response Protocolspersonal protective equipment (PPE) and other personal protective equipment (PPE) and other health and safetyhealth and safety--related itemsrelated items

personnel and equipment augmentation personnel and equipment augmentation proceduresprocedures

entry and assessment proceduresentry and assessment procedures

sample collection proceduressample collection procedures

decontamination proceduresdecontamination procedures

demobilization proceduresdemobilization procedures

Communications and Incident Communications and Incident Data ManagementData Management

communication equipment communication equipment

data management hardware/softwaredata management hardware/software

Incident Command System (ICS) Incident Command System (ICS) procedures and formsprocedures and forms

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned-- INCIDENT COMMAND STRUCTUREINCIDENT COMMAND STRUCTURE

ICS proved to be an effective tool for managing a large ICS proved to be an effective tool for managing a large deployment. All involved readily performed multiple tasks and deployment. All involved readily performed multiple tasks and were able to gain experience in a number of the different ICS were able to gain experience in a number of the different ICS positions.positions.

We need to recognize that running ICS properly can be very We need to recognize that running ICS properly can be very resource intensive. Region I must continue efforts to further resource intensive. Region I must continue efforts to further develop the Regional Support Corps and train additional develop the Regional Support Corps and train additional personnel outside of the EPRB to staff many of the ICS positionspersonnel outside of the EPRB to staff many of the ICS positions..

Additional ICS training and practice is needed by all personnel,Additional ICS training and practice is needed by all personnel,especially support personnel. especially support personnel.

The planning work conducted by the Environmental Unit Leader The planning work conducted by the Environmental Unit Leader prior to the DNC on generic sampling and analysis plans and prior to the DNC on generic sampling and analysis plans and during the DNC to train response teams in appropriate sampling during the DNC to train response teams in appropriate sampling techniques and procedures demonstrated the importance of the techniques and procedures demonstrated the importance of the position in EPAposition in EPA��s ICS structure. s ICS structure.

!! The relationship and reporting mechanisms between EPA Incident The relationship and reporting mechanisms between EPA Incident and Area Command and Regional/Headquarters senior management and Area Command and Regional/Headquarters senior management needs to be further clarified. needs to be further clarified.

!! Region I specifically used personnel from Regions II and VIII toRegion I specifically used personnel from Regions II and VIII tofurther establish our backup Region agreements/relationships. Mofurther establish our backup Region agreements/relationships. More re work needs to be done with Regional Finance and Human Resources work needs to be done with Regional Finance and Human Resources personnel to establish procedures that address travel and personnel to establish procedures that address travel and timekeeping issues for bringing in staff from other Regions.timekeeping issues for bringing in staff from other Regions.

!! The DNC highlighted the importance of COOP, giving us the The DNC highlighted the importance of COOP, giving us the challenge to assess and reassess our COOP. Upgrades to the challenge to assess and reassess our COOP. Upgrades to the COOP included a matrix on communication, which clearly explainedCOOP included a matrix on communication, which clearly explainedthe requirements of essential personnel to be available by phonethe requirements of essential personnel to be available by phone on on a 24/7 basis under various alert levels. A senior staff status a 24/7 basis under various alert levels. A senior staff status line was line was instituted requiring office directors and deputies to document tinstituted requiring office directors and deputies to document their heir availability during nonavailability during non--work as well as work hours, callwork as well as work hours, call--down tree was down tree was enhanced to add second homes and alternate cell numbers.enhanced to add second homes and alternate cell numbers.