TIC/TIMs: Toxic Industrial Material Assessments for Military Bases
Challenge
Terrorist tactics are known to include use of explosives as well as toxic industrial materials (TIMs) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs). Facilities at U.S. Air Force bases could be exposed to TIC/TIMs from an attack directed at other facilities in the area, from a direct attack, or from TIC/TIMs being transported on nearby highways, railways, and waterways.
Intentional or accidental release of these materials can pose significant risks if the accident is within a specified proximity to the base and the concentration levels are above a predetermined level.
Solution
ARA experts have met with critical base personnel to assess the physical layout, critical utilities and infrastructure, toxic materials on base, current threats, emergency management procedures, and memoranda of understanding in place. To establish potential TIC/TIMs inventories and threats external to the base, ARA has interviewed local emergency planning committee (LEPC) representatives, and local fire and police departments, and reviewed data from surrounding businesses/industries.
Based on these meetings, ARA has developed a reduced list of potential TIC/TIM threats internal and external to a base and employed the Facility Security Risk Management methodology to determine the threats posing the highest risks. Four scenarios were selected for further modeling with the software tool Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC), which displays a plume model with potential agent dispersal and concentrations overlaid on base maps.
