Statement of Ted Jarboe, Deputy Chief,
Department of Fire and Rescue Services,
Montgomery County, Maryland
before the Military Research and Development Subcommittee
of the House Committee on National Security
United States House of Representatives
"Federal Response to Domestic Terrorism
Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction"
Indianapolis, Indiana
March 21, 1998
Good afternoon. My name is Ted Jarboe. I am a Deputy Chief with the Department
of Fire and Rescue Services, Montgomery County, Maryland. As a matter of reference,
part of Montgomery County borders the District of Columbia and is the most populace of
Maryland's 23 counties. For the past nearly two years, our county has been working
to improve the response capabilities of our first responders, that is, fire, rescue, EMS,
and law enforcement personnel. As a first responder, I know firsthand the importance
of and need to substantially enhance our capabilities to manage the life-threatening
consequences of a terrorist incident involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Through the dedication and commitment of our first responders and those throughout
the United States, I believe we can save lives, without becoming casualties.
While I am here to speak for Montgomery County's first responders, I do believe that most,
if not all, of my comments and concerns will have direct relevance to our nation's fire
service. After all, the first responders are the first line of defense against an act of
terrorism which results in casualties. These emergency responders will likely work
alone at the scene for at least several hours before needed specialized state and federal
assets arrive.
During my testimony I will address what I perceive to be the seven elements of the first
responder's domestic preparedness equation. They are awareness, training, equipment,
resources, planning, exercises, and research. My comments on these seven elements
are likely to be similar to comments of other fire, rescue, and EMS departments, no matter
their size, composition or the population they serve.
Awareness
First responders need a quick reference which will provide them with essential information
about NBC agents, including how to protect themselves against exposure to them.
An awareness brochure could be easily prepared and distributed to emergency
responders across the country. Of course funding is needed to make this awareness
initiative happen. This action would buy time while other important initiatives are
being developed.
Training
As you know, the United States Army's Chemical and Biological Defense Command (CBDCOM),
under the leadership of Major General Friel, has developed and is delivering domestic
preparedness training nationally to emergency responders in 120 cities as mandated by the
Nunn-Lugar-Domenici Legislation.
The Domestic Preparedness Program is sensitive to the emergency responders' community
efforts in carrying out their mission. These programs were developed and are
being executed as a partnership among six federal agencies (DOD, DOE, FBI, FEMA, PHS, and
EPA) and the emergency response community.
To date, 18 cities have received this Train-the-Trainer program. This program has
training modules which address awareness, operations, hazardous materials technician,
incident command, pre-hospital care providers, and hospital care providers. These
modules were prepared and are being delivered by a multi-disciplined group of
professionals. These professionals are from fire, rescue, EMS, and local law
enforcement organizations, CBDCOM, the FBI, and DOE. Just recently, members of the
National Guard were validated to join the instructors' cadre. Some of them are also
members of first responder organizations.
I serve as an instructor in this program. Back in April 1997, a representative of
CBDCOM asked that I help with the development of the incident command component.
The foundation of the incident command course was the course that District Chief
Bob Stephan and I had developed for and delivered to command officers in Montgomery
County. I consider myself fortunate to be part of this national initiative.
As the Train-the-Trainer program was delivered, beginning with Philadelphia, many positive
comments were made by the target audience. Constructive criticism have been welcomed
and necessary changes to enhance the program were incorporated into the Train-the-Trainer
program. This is a strong testimony to CBDCOM's commitment to transfer military NBC
expertise to the responder community.
I view this Train-the-Trainer program as a "shot-in-the-arm" for first
responders. It is a "kick-start" program to get them focused on domestic
preparedness in their respective communities. It is not the final answer or end to
domestic preparedness training. It is a good beginning. The Train-the-Trainer
program is right on target. It has the right mix of NBC experts, and specialists
from the first responders' community. The training and exercise program builds an
integrated response over all first responders, fire, rescue, EMS, law enforcement
personnel and health care providers. It delivers the information needed to keep
first responders safe, while still maximizing their effectiveness.
Tailoring information from the Train-the-Trainer program to meet their communities' need
is necessary for these cities. I believe that it is imperative that these
jurisdictions commit to train all of their emergency responders.
In addition, there is a clear need to provide sustainment and total training which goes
beyond the training of the 120 cities. We must identify ways to deliver domestic
preparedness training to all fire, rescue, and EMS personnel. They could modify the
Train-the-Trainer program based on local needs. This program could be delivered in a
one or two-weekend format for volunteer members of the fire service.
Equipment
First responders must have the equipment to detect and monitor the presence of chemical,
biological, and radiological material. Having rapid detection capability and availability
of appropriate pharmaceuticals are paramount to a WMD incident. In many scenarios,
these remain the critical issues in saving victims and protecting first responders.
The first responders need equipment to help monitor patients following decontamination to
ensure they are "clean" before transport to a hospital. With the potential
for large numbers of casualties, victim transport must not be delayed until special state
and federal resources arrive.
The vast majority of law enforcement agencies do not have respiratory protection against
chemical and biological agents. Law enforcement officers are first responders.
This lack of equipment will compromise their ability to perform activities such as
downwind evacuation, crowd control, protection of fire and EMS personnel and
collection of evidence. Unprotected law enforcement officers would likely become
casualties themselves.
Because of the super toxic inhalation hazards of chemical and biological agents, the use
of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) by first responders is absolutely essential.
Funding must be allocated to ensure that SCBA or other appropriate respiratory
protection is available to all first responders.
Hazmat teams need detection equipment to detect the presence of chemical/biological agents
and to monitor post-decontaminated victims. Identifying the chemical or biological
agent released is the primary mission of Montgomery County's Hazardous Incident Response
Team (HIRT). I believe this is an effective use of hazmat teams in response to CB
incidents.
If federal funding is not available to purchase this equipment for hazmat teams, then
emergency responders should have the opportunity to purchase the needed equipment at
military cost or receive federal subsidy. Why can't local governments purchase
equipment at GSA contract prices? I must reiterate here that the first responders
will be the first on the scene of a WMD incident. They need this equipment quickly
to help them identify just what NBC agent is (are) involved in the incident.
Another concern is the difficulty in finding vendors from which to purchase needed NBC
equipment. Developing a list of vendors and making it available to first responders
across the country is sorely needed. Absent such a list, first responder
organizations must duplicate each others search efforts.
Resources
I openly acknowledge the capabilities of the many federal assets which are available to
respond to acts of terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction. Their expertise
and equipment cache are specialized and extensive. However, the effectiveness of
these valuable resources to on-scene first responders depends on their rapid response
capability.
I believe that in order for these resources to help first responders manage the challenges
and consequences of a terrorist event involving mass casualties, they must have a
significant on-scene presence, preferably within 60 minutes, but no more than 90 minutes.
A few people with expertise and detection equipment within this crucial 90-minute
window will do much more for the first responders than many people with similar expertise
and equipment arriving hours later. To state it another way, if lives are to be
saved I believe that getting a few specialized resources on the scene relatively quickly
is far more effective than many resources from the same response group hours later.
Developing "ultra rapid" response teams with a target 90-minute arrival
time, is a challenge that I send to the federal response assets from the first responders.
I believe the National Guard, for one, is already reviewing their capabilities to
meet this challenge.
For example, the newly-formed MMST in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area has a target
response time for the region of approximately 90 minutes. However, other forming
MMSTs across the country may have shorter or longer response times based on their locale
and composition.
Planning
Congress should explore the feasibility of funding the development of "model"
domestic preparedness plans for selected fire service communities such as career,
volunteer, and combination emergency services.
Joint planning groups should include representatives at the local, state and federal
levels. First responders must be part of any decision-making group that is meeting
to determine the role and duties of first responders. This is the right thing to do.
Exercises
Each jurisdiction needs to test their terrorist disaster plan by staging realistic
exercises. These exercises will serve as the "yardstick" for testing,
measuring, and validating the level of readiness of the plan.
Research
The last element of the first responder's domestic preparedness equation is
research. Like the other elements, this is extremely important and necessary to help
improve the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of first responders who might have to
respond to acts of terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction.
CBDCOM's Improved Response Program is working to improve the response capabilities of
emergency responders. The program participants include members of emergency
responder groups who are representatives of local, state, and federal agencies. The
group is divided into four subgroups, law enforcement, emergency responders, emergency
management, and health and safety.
The Improved Response Program looks at ways first responders can use their existing
equipment to manage special challenges attendant to a terrorist incident. Using this
approach, the group can keep the cost of implementation of new concepts, procedures, and
equipment low and manageable.
Recently, the Edgewood Research Development and Engineering center at CBDCOM , in
Edgewood, Maryland, completed phase one of a three-phase test program to evaluate the
protection afforded by a firefighter's conventional protective clothing against vapor and
aerosol challenge of a chemical warfare agent simulant.
Phase two of this program commenced this past Tuesday at the Research Triangle Institute
in Durham, North Carolina. Phase three of these tests will be held in Kingston,
Ontario at the Royal Military College.
The results of these tests will be extremely important to all first responders
throughout the United States, and perhaps beyond. It is extremely important for me to note
the main purpose of these tests from a first responder's perspective. It is
important to determine if firefighters who are properly wearing protective clothing and
using positive pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), could enter a confined
space for just a few minutes to rescue ambulatory casualties, resulting from exposure to a
chemical warfare agent. This is an extreme emergency situation which requires
intelligent and timely decision-making by the incident commander. Without the
results and analyses of these protective clothing tests, the incident commander has no
quantifiable information to base a decision as to whether to attempt rescue or abandon
efforts to save lives.
Another project underway focuses on determining ways to effectively decontaminate mass
casualties exposed to chemical, biological or radiological materials. From a first
responder's perspective, the answer lies with the use of equipment immediately available
to first responders.
A proposed project involves the use of portable fans carried on fire response vehicles
which are commonly used to remove smoke, heat and hot gases from a building that is on
fire. These fans may have distinct application at the scene of a chemical release in
an occupied structure. One proposed area of attention is determining what affect
induced airflow has in reducing chemical agent concentrations within a building and
especially near the entrance.
All of the above projects are part of the Improved Response Program. As you can see
there are many elements needed in the first responder domestic preparedness equation.
The closer we get to addressing these elements, the closer we will be to having an
effective response capability against acts of terrorism involving weapons of mass
destruction.
In closing, I want to thank the Committee members for allowing me this very special and
important opportunity to share my thoughts, concerns, and recommendations with you.
Please remember that our nation's first responders will always be counted on to be
the first to respond to disasters. Therefore, they must be the first to receive
funding for training and equipment. The nation's first responders are truly the
first lines of defense against terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction.
Ted Jarboe is a deputy chief with the Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Montgomery
County, Maryland. In October 1995, Chief Jarboe became the bureau chief in charge of
the Bureau of Operations.
For the past nearly two years Chief Jarboe has been working to improve the response
capability of the county's approximately 1500 career and volunteer personnel against
the potential threat of terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction.
He is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) and a member of the County's Emergency
Management Group (EMG). He is a member of International Association of Fire
Chiefs (IAFC) where he is a member of the Terrorism Task Force. He is also an
instructor for the U.S. Army Chemical Biological Defense Command's Domestic Preparedness
Train-the-Trainer Program. Chief Jarboe is also a member of CBDCOM's Improved
Response Program.
Chief Jarboe has been an officer of the County's Hazardous Incident Response Team (HIRT)
since its organization in 1981. He is also a member of the County's Collapse Rescue
Team and FEMA's Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force.
Since July 1995, Chief Jarboe has attended and participated in many meetings, conferences,
and training programs related to the subject of nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare
agents and domestic preparedness. In October 1996, he attended the four-day course
Chemical/Biological Countermeasures Course conducted at the U.S. Army Chemical School,
Fort McClellan, Alabama.
As part of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program, Chief Jarboe wrote
an applied research paper titled APlanning in Montgomery County to Manage the Consequences
of Terrorism Involving Chemical Warfare Agents.
He is an adjunct professor at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland, where he just
completed 20 years. Chief Jarboe has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection
Engineering from the University of Maryland. He is completing his thesis for a
Master of Science degree also in Fire Protection Engineering. He is a member of the
Salamanders Fire Protection Engineering Honorary Society.
