HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09121989 - T.A T.A
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on September 12, 1989 ,_ by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
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SUBJECT: Report on the Shell Refinery Fire
Gary Brown, Director, Office of Emergency Services; reported
to the Board today on the fire that occurred on September 5, 1989,
at the Shell Refinery, and the role of police and fire protection
. agencies responding to the emergency. He advised that he, Assis-
tant County Administrator Claude Van Marter, and several members of
his staff were at the Emergency Operations Center monitoring the
situation until notified by Contra Costa County Fire Protection
District personnel that the fire was under control at 9 p.m. Mr.
Brown advised that according to Chief Maxfield, the fire response
worked very well and in accordance with the agreement between Shell
and the Contra Costa County fire Protection District. He noted
that air monitoring was conducted by both Shell and the Bay Area
Air Quality Management District with no ground level elevation of
dangerous chemicals detected to require evacuation of the residents
from the surrounding area.
Supervisor Fanden advised that EMS staff kept her informed of
the status of the fire. She noted the concern of the neighbors as
to whether to stay in their homes or evacuate. She expressed a
need for the neighbors in the vicinity of the fire . to be repre-
sented at the debriefing exercise. She also requested assurance
that the County' s firefighters have adequate training to respond to
a refinery fire. She requested a further report from the Chief of
the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
Mr. Brown referred to an agreement between Shell and the
Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. He advised that
Shell has sent many County fire personnel to special training for
refinery or chemical fires.
Supervisor Powers spoke on the feasibility of establishing a
method whereby the community is notified by the Office of Emergency
Services as to what is going on so that people can be assured that
everything is under control.
Supervisor Schroder commented on the excellent cooperation
between the County' s. Fire District, Shell, and the Office of
Emergency Services. He hoped that this same spirit of cooperation
and working relationship is present with industry in other areas of
the County. He inquired as to who would have the responsibility of
being in charge of evacuating the residents if there was a need.
Mr. Brown responded that law enforcement agencies have the
responsibility of notifying residents of the need to evacuate or to
take other required measures.
Supervisor McPeak advised that the Internal Operations Com-
mittee is reviewing the Grand Jury Report relative incidences of
hazardous waste. She spoke of a desire to review the matrix of
responses as to who is doing what. She noted that there are many
neighborhoods in close proximity to industrial installations that
may need an emergency communication network: She inquired as to
the criteria used to support a decision to evacuate an area.
Supervisor McPeak proposed the establishment of a peer review
system where experts from industry would be involved in on site
inspections.
There being no further discussion, IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED
that the report of the Director of the Office of Emergency Services
is ACCEPTED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Director, Office of Emergency
Services, is REQUESTED to include respresentatives of neighborhoods
in the vicinity of Shell and other such industries on the CARE
Committee.
1 hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
cc: Director, OES Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
County Administrator ATTESTED: �h'�' �� 1.2, `�-P
Chief, CCCFPD PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors and County Administrator
Bye. _...___. oeputy
CICNII2A O ISTA CICUNTY
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
50 GLACIER. E RIVE Tel.. (415) 228-5000
MAIZrINEZ, CALIFCRTIA 94553
September 11, 1989
TO: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator
FROM: Gary Bnfd P, Director
SUBJECT: 9/5/89 Shell Refinery Fire
At 6:35 p.m. , on September 5, 1989, the Sheriff's Dispatch Center received a
call from an unknown citizen reporting that there had been a possible
explosion at the Shell Refinery. At 6:41 p.m., Sheriff's Dispatch received a
call from Shell advising that they had had an explosion and that a fire was
underway. Sheriff's Patrol personnel took action to divert traffic from the
Shell Gates #1 and #2 located on Pacheco Blvd. The California Highway Patrol
was advised to block traffic at Pacheco and Morello Avenue. Sheriff's
Dispatch notified County Environmental Health personnel who responded to the
scene. Also reporting to the scene were William Maxfield, Chief, Contra Costa
County Fire Protection District, Mark Finucane, Health Services Director and
Dr. William Walker, County Medical Director.
I notified Claude VanMarter, Asst. County Administrator, of the situation.
Due to the seriousness of the incident, I reported to the County BOC in order
to be in direct contact with Sheriff's Dispatch to monitor the situation. I
called Mr. VanMarter again and requested that he report to the BOC, which he
did. I also called two members of the OES staff to report to the EOC to
provide support. Bill Maxfield and Mark Finucane, after having been on scene, ,.
also reported to the BOC. Those of us at the BOC monitored the situation
until notified by Contra Costa County Fire Protection District personnel that
the fire was under control. This occurred at about 9:00 p.m. OES personnel
left the BOC at about 9:30 p.m.
According to Chief Maxfield, the fire response worked very well and in
accordance with the agreement between Shell and the Contra Costa County Fire
Protection District. Pursuant to such agreement Shell notifies the fire
district of every fire incident on their premises whether outside assistance
is needed or not. Shell conmiunicates with the fire district via a telephone
ring-dawn line. Per agreement, when needed, fire district personnel respond
to the Shell Main Gate where they are given Shell common frequency radios and
are escorted to the fire incident site to assist the Shell fire fighting
Memo to Phil Batchelor,
County Administrator
Re: 9/5/89 Shell Refinery Fire
(Continued)
forces and work under the direction of the Shell Incident Commander (unless
the fire is a structural fire, then the fire district assumes the Incident
CcAmnander role) . Additional fire fighting equipment is stationed in a staging
area in the event it is eventually required. The above procedure was followed
in this particular incident and worked well.
Air monitoring was conducted by both Shell and the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District. Air samples were analyzed by both stationary and roving
monitoring stations. No ground level elevation of dangerous chemicals was
detected, therefore, action to evacuate residents from the surrounding area
was not required.
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