Responsibilities of first responding officer:
If an officer responds to an incident which involves chemical, biological, radiological, explosive/incendiary, or nuclear materials he/she should do the following:
- Notify MECC immediately that you suspect WMD materials and the type of material you suspect may be present.
- Relay signs and symptoms of victims to MECC.
- Be alert for visual signs of clouds of dust, liquid or gaseous materials in the area.
- Do not enter an area you believe to be contaminated.
- Take appropriate self-protection measures. Squad windows and air vents should be closed prior to responding to a suspected WMD incident. The squad PA system when possible, should be used to direct victims fleeing the incident to decontamination locations or areas where initial triage can safely occur outside the hot zone(s).
- Be aware of secondary devices that may be designed to kill/incapacitate first responders.
- Isolate area if possible.
- Stay upwind and uphill if possible.
- Do not perform first-aid on persons who you believe may have been exposed to chemical or radiological materials because you may become a victim yourself.
- Solicit as much information as possible from victims and/or witnesses.
- Take note of your surroundings and any suspicious persons, vehicles, aircraft, or incidents that may be present or occurring.
MECC Responsibilities:
If MECC believes that an incident may involve materials consistent with a weapon of mass destruction, an MPD supervisor shall be dispatched to the area with responding squads. MECC shall immediately make the below notifications and relay that there is a “potential WMD incident” and the type of incident if known.”
MECC required notifications are:
- Minneapolis Fire Department
- MPD Bomb Squad
- Watch Commander/Police Chief and Administration
- Local FBI Office
- State Duty Officer
- 55th WMD Civil Support Team (directly or through State Duty Officer)
The following information should be relayed as soon as it becomes available:
- Location of the incident
- Command post location
- Type and number of casualties if known
- Victim signs/symptoms if known
- Type of material suspected (i.e. chemical, biological, radiological, etc.)
Other notifications should be made as necessary consistent with the City of Minneapolis Emergency Plan.
Responsibilities of first responding supervisor:
Generally, the Minneapolis Fire Department will have overall command of a WMD incident until the scene is stabilized and victims are removed and/or decontaminated. The first responding MPD supervisor will be responsible for managing police resources until relieved by a higher ranking MPD official. The primary responsibility of the Minneapolis Police Department in response to a WMD incident is to establish and maintain a perimeter outside the contaminated area in order to accomplish the following objectives:
- Prevent other persons from entering the contaminated area;
- Prevent contaminated or potentially contaminated persons from leaving the area;
- Maintain crowd and traffic control outside the contaminated area;
- Preserve and protect the crime scene to the best of our ability.
MPD supervisors will work with the MFD incident commander to establish the following:
- Location of command post;
- Location of perimeter and hot, warm, and cold zones;
- Location of decontamination area and decontamination procedures;
- Location and availability of first aid;
- Necessary safety precautions for responding police officers such as personal protective equipment and the potential for secondary devices. Position personnel and vehicles appropriately.
Any incident involving a weapon of mass destruction will be managed using the City of Minneapolis Emergency Plan and the Minnesota Incident Management System (MIMS), which utilizes the principles and structure of the Incident Command System or ICS.
Note: Although the FBI is charged with crisis management for a WMD incident, they will rely on local first responders for initial management and response. The MPD will work with the FBI on additional considerations as necessary.
Decontamination Procedures:
If an officer believes that he/she may have been contaminated and/or is exhibiting symptoms of chemical or radiological material, he/she should notify dispatch or other first responders in the area if possible. The officer should proceed to a safe decontamination area if possible. Normal decontamination procedures include:
- Removal of all clothing;
- Showering with large amounts of water;
- Administration of prophylactics and/or drugs which can counter act the effects of chemical agents.