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Emergency Response Activities

     Response actions for such crises as hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, and the Capital Hill Anthrax Incident have—while unfortunate—offered the Team vast hands-on large-scale experience with emergency response, which has provided invaluable knowledge and the opportunity for TechLaw to successfully support EPA, state, and local agencies, as well as national objectives such as the Homeland Security Act. TechLaw has demonstrated its ability to provide assistance in Crisis and Consequence Management phases of an incident response—on both the large scale national-level response, as well as smaller regional and local responses. TechLaw also provides training on numerous ER-related topics, increasing the awareness of federal, state, and local responders. We have also supported the development and participated in regional, cross-regional, national and international drills, exercises, and training. TechLaw staff are trained cross-regionally; as a result, personnel from different offices have experience working with each other, team leaders, local agencies and staff, if additional resources become necessary. TechLaw also maintains a standardized methodology, technology, and equipment in order to facilitate the integration of staff from different offices, which allows the company to fully maximize staff capabilities.

TechLaw provides the following Response Services:
  • Administrative Records Support
  • Brownfields Assessments
  • Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention
  • Chemical Safety Audits
  • Combined PA/SI
  • Contingency Planning
  • Cost Recovery
  • Counter-Terrorism Response
  • CT/Domestic Preparedness and Prevention
  • Emergency Response
  • Enforcement Support
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Expanded Site Inspections
  • Federal Disaster Response
  • Fund-Led Removals
  • General Technical Support
  • HRS Packages
  • Human Health/Eco Risk Assessment
  • Integrated Assessments
  • Minor Containment Multimedia Surveys and Inspections
  • Oil Spill Prevention and Preparedness
  • Oil Spill Response
  • Pre-CERCLIS Screening
  • Preliminary Assessment
  • Public Participation Support
  • Regional Response Center Support
  • Regional Response Team Support
  • Removal Assessment
  • Risk Management Planning
  • Site Discovery Program
  • Site Inspection
  • Site Inspection Prioritization
  • Site Reassessment
  • Treatability Studies
  • Voluntary Chemical Safety Reviews
Projects

Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster Recovery
TechLaw provided rapid emergency response support for the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster. Within hours of the event, we mobilized staff as part of the initial response team and activated five additional staff within two days—some with only 45 minutes of notice—to mobilize to two locations as part of a larger response team. TechLaw provided personnel at all four of the shuttle debris recovery effort camps and the disaster field office (DFO). TechLaw provided ten field response members to support the recovery effort for periods of up to nine weeks. Staff support included shuttle debris search and recovery field activities, warehouse management, and cataloging activities. Search and recovery teams endured up to 15-hour workdays walking through dense forests and open fields. Field staff systematically searched each location, documenting observations and debris locations with hand-held GPS units and digital cameras, and recorded in-field observation into hand-held computers (Personal Digital Assistant PDAs). Debris suspected of contamination was screened with hand-held PIDs for organic vapors. Warehouse support included assisting NASA in developing efficient ways of receiving debris, developing log sheets to document the receipt of debris, and delivering collected debris to designated Air Force bases for transfer. At the DFO, TechLaw provided technical assistance regarding hazardous materials on-board the shuttle and assisted with records recovery collection planning. TechLaw assisted EPA OSCs at the DFO in the preparation of information to be distributed to law enforcement and emergency response agencies for use after the federal response effort ended.
Chemical Inventory and Removal Support at Pesticide Manufacturer

At an abandoned bankrupt pesticide manufacturer, TechLaw provided removal support through chemical inventory activities for two analytical laboratory buildings and a chemical storage building. TechLaw assisted with an initial general chemicals inventory and prepared a preliminary listing of chemicals for EPA planning purposes. Prior to process line removal activities, TechLaw assisted with the detailed inventory of laboratory chemicals and hazard categorization, and performed data entry of the results into spreadsheets. After consolidation of duplicate chemicals, the inventory totaled over 5,000 chemicals in laboratory-size containers up to 30 gallons in size and was the basis for estimating types and amounts of waste for subsequent commercial disposal. In addition, TechLaw provided oversight of the six-member Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor team via logbook and photographic documentation. After identifying and isolating the manufacturing process lines connected to tanks of various sizes, the ERRS team vacuumed remaining chemicals from the tank lines in the seven general process areas.

 
Reconnaissance/Stabilization and Sampling at Pyrotechnics Facility

For more than two weeks, TechLaw staff conducted multiple Level A entries into the electroplating building at RTF Pyrotechnics, a former manufacturer of explosive and pyrotechnic materials, to conduct reconnaissance, stabilization, and sampling activities. Entries into the pyrotechnics facility were conducted using static-free PPE to reduce fire/explosion hazards. The site conditions were so extremely uncontrolled and hazardous that the OSC requested a site-specific activation of the Regional Response Team (RRT). Attendees at the RRT teleconference included EPA, USCG, FBI, DOD, ATF, TCEQ, AUSA, FEMA, and OSHA. TechLaw designed and implemented a comprehensive air monitoring and sampling program to provide early warning/identification of airborne releases, as residents were located less than 100 yards from RTF facilities. TechLaw sampled, defined hazard categories (hazcat), and identified thousands of highly reactive materials stored in drums, tanks, containers, bins, and bags located on the sites. Drum Trac software was used to log the hazcat results with the sampled container information. Many of the shock-sensitive and reactive materials were detonated on-site. As it was suspected that military ordnance and weapons were present at the site, TechLaw coordinated initial site security responsibilities with ATF and the FBI-ERT. TechLaw conducted GPR and EM surveys to locate buried drums/explosives and anomalies on-site. TechLaw staff then dug 32 exploratory trenches using remotely controlled excavators; 15 of these trenches were located UXO disposal/burial areas and two identified electroplating sludge disposal pits. TechLaw also assisted the FBI-ERT in exploratory trenching for suspected human remains at the site.

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