Chemical Spill Response Products & Procedures

The current political and world climate has forced the Emergency Response Community to take a closer look at the number of potential hazards that they may be called upon to deal with. Of particular concerns are the response to terrorist and/or chemical incidents. Depending on the type of event, responders may be faced with a myriad of challenges and onsite dangers.

With a chemical release, the situation will be immediately apparent, as numerous individuals become incapacitated in a very short period of time. These toxic chemicals will continue to pose a danger to the public as long as they persist. The goal of responding to such a situation should be to immediately get the public out of harm’s way and then to treat the hazard to minimize the risk to the general public and the emergency personnel present.

Responding to such an event typically requires identification of the agent, evacuation of exposed individuals, and mass decontamination lines to be set up in the shortest period of time possible. All of these measures are designed to limit the number of casualties from such an event. To ensure that such a situation will be handled correctly, responders nationwide conduct drills and training exercises to prepare for events of terrorism.

Chemical Spill Kit

Having the protection of a chemical spill kit within reach can assist you tremendously when you are exposed to a chemical release in your environment. In laboratories or even during a potential terrorist attack you need to be prepared for the rare compositions of hazardous and nonhazardous chemicals that could be released in various states, whether it’s a liquid or vapor chemical release. A chemical spill kit is used as a source to neutralize and decontaminate the chemical that has been released into the environment. Strategically placing your chemical spill kits in locations near or around chemicals in preparation for the event of a chemical spill is vital in quickly containing the chemical. Most laboratories and factories will have chemical spill kits that work when a chemical is spilled as a way to neutralize the chemical at play, however, these chemical spill kits can sometimes cost you valuable time when trying to combat the chemical. Traditional spill kits require you to be able to identify the chemical that has been released so you can use the appropriate compounds to counteract and neutralize the chemical, and sometimes when you are using multiple chemicals it can be a challenge to determine what to use to decontaminate the chemical. When you are working with chemicals you want to have a chemical spill kit with protective gear that can work FAST and ACT against the chemical in your environment.

Chemical spill clean up kit

Timilon offers a portable response system known as FAST-ACT (First Applied Sorbent Treatment – Against Chemical Threats) in pressurized cylinders, shaker bottles, bulk pails, or personalized protection paks. FAST-ACT can be safely applied to any liquid spill or vapor release enabling Emergency Responders to utilize one system when faced with a wide variety of known or unknown chemical hazards. FAST-ACT provides a rapid and effective way to safely neutralize toxic spills efficiently reducing life-safety threat, on-site management time, and cost. It was nominated “Invention of the Year” by the U.S. Army and winner of the “Breakthrough Award” from Popular Mechanics.

FAST-ACT (First Applied Sorbent Treatment Against Chemical Threats) is a chemical hazard containment and neutralization system for liquid and vapor chemical spills and releases. FAST-ACT powder is available in a 500-gram shaker bottle for portability and easy deployment. Wall-mounts and vehicle mounts for the FAST-ACT Shaker bottle are also available, allowing for safe and convenient storage near any potential hazards.

A range of equipment is required to ensure the safety of not only the responders but also the general public. Personal protective equipment and sensor technologies have arisen to meet the challenges presented by a chemical agent attack. Utilizing existing products, personnel can respond to a potential release, identify the agent, and ensure their individual safety. But what about the public? What types of technologies are available to immediate neutralize these toxic chemicals for safe chemical spill cleanup?

Historically, the release of chemical warfare agents was only a concern for military officials. Over the last two decades, the U.S. military has spent several million dollars on research and development efforts to provide the most effective protection against such agents. The use of these agents or other toxic chemicals in a terrorist attack has now become a realistic threat which civilian responders must now be prepared to address; whether it be a release in a subway, at a mall or any other public place. So how are these military research and development efforts being transitioned into the civilian sector?

Safe, high surface area, metal oxides are being used for their “adsorptive neutralization” capabilities as an alternative to the environmentally riskier or less effective chemical response products, expanding emergency responders and hazmat teams’ capabilities. First-Applied Sorbent Treatment Against Chemical Threats, or FAST-ACT®, is a proprietary formulation of non-toxic materials that has the ability to destroy chemical warfare agents. Additionally, FAST-ACT is effective for neutralizing a wide range of toxic chemicals. It is capable of treating frequently encountered liquid spills and vapor releases, while offering protection in the event of a chemical warfare agent release. In addition to its application to chemical warfare, FAST-ACT is also used in chemical waste disposal. It is non-corrosive, non-flammable and is also highly effective over a wide range of environmental conditions. This family of products has expanded utility for law enforcement, industrial, laboratory and public protection applications.

These products allow the Emergency Responder Community a line of protection against a wide range of toxic chemicals for themselves and the public. The delivery systems ensure the product is immediately deployable, simple to use and is capable of neutralizing a wide range of toxic chemicals quickly.

Billy Kingston a long time chemical decontamination expert at Timilon Technology, stated in his recent speech at the Deconn-Summit “The threat of terrorism will be with us for a number of years to come and as these threats continue to grow and change, products such as FAST-ACT will provide protection and ensure the safety of our responders and the communities they protect.”