StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

U05a1 Analysis - Case Study Example

Cite this document
Summary
Case Analysis “Almost a Worst-Case Scenario: The Baltimore Tunnel Fire of 2001” (College) “Almost a Worst-Case Scenario: The Baltimore Tunnel Fire of 2001” The Baltimore Tunnel Fire of 2001 was an accident that did not go out of control leading to mass destruction, due primarily to luck, and then to reasonably coordinated activities, though with limited resources and knowledge…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER93.5% of users find it useful
U05a1 Case Analysis
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "U05a1 Analysis"

Download file to see previous pages

As early as in 1985, the possibility of a great disaster in case of an explosion inside the tunnel was pointed out by ‘The Baltimore Sun’. However, nothing was done to ensure safety in case of such a disaster. The city’s 440 page emergency plan contained no provision to meet such an eventuality. The event On 18 July 2001, a freight train of CSX that was carrying various items from paper, plywood, soy oil, and many chemicals derailed inside the tunnel. As a result of derailing, there was fire and smoke.

The crew of the train could not contact authorities and hence, they uncoupled the first three locomotives and drove out of the tunnel. Soon, thick smoke started covering the city. The fire department was getting calls from different parts of the city reporting smoke. The waybill from the train crew revealed that the train carried hazardous materials like hydrochloric acid, flurocilicic acid, tripopylene, glacial acetic acid, ethyl hexyl phthalate, and propylene glycol. While some of these were combustible, others could create breathing problems and skin burns.

A possibility of ‘boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) could not be ruled out, which could mean total destruction of the city. In addition, the fire officials were not at all familiar with handling those chemicals. As it is rightly said in Penuel, Statler, and Golson (2011, p.89), decisions during a crisis are to be taken in an environment where issues are wrongly defined and data is erroneous. The management of the situation It seems that the fire department proceeded well in accordance with the stipulated procedures.

As the city’s emergency plan did not provide any guidelines, it was for the first responder- the fire department- to take the lead. As per the stipulated incident command procedure, the senior officer of the first unit on the scene is responsible to assess the situation, and, depending on the seriousness of the situation, to report upwards. Exactly in the same way, the matter was reported to Chief Heinbuch, and soon he started the command post near the north end of the tunnel. This step too seems well in accordance with the suggested procedures in case of an emergency.

Soon, Heinbuch took charge of the situation, and set up the command post near the north end of the tunnel. At this juncture, it is worth remembering that this step too is well in accordance with the stipulation that an incident command post will be established within close proximity to incident response operations. (Penuel et al., 2011, p. 89). The next positive point to note from the case is the cooperation between the fire department and the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE). According to the reports, both the departments worked and trained together, and hence, communication and cooperation were instantaneous.

It seems that there was an averagely effective management of the situation. It seems that the team was able to establish link with a number of other groups ranging from MDE, public health, public works department, and the department of transportation, US Coast Guard, the EPA, and the National Transportation Safety Board. Still, there was serious lack of communication among groups that could lead to loss of lives. An example is the effort by DPW crews on 19 July to excavate the water

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“U05a1 Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/geography/1422108-u05a1-case-analysis
(U05a1 Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words)
https://studentshare.org/geography/1422108-u05a1-case-analysis.
“U05a1 Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/geography/1422108-u05a1-case-analysis.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF U05a1 Case Analysis

Forecasting Intermittent Demand

Problem definition and analysis: The problem considered in this paper is the shortage of spare parts.... The case study "Forecasting Intermittent Demand" states that the organization selected in this paper is British Airways.... The company is the world's biggest international airline....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study

Company Development - The Rate of Television Advertisements

This type of business aims to provide creative video services for companies who want to advertise their products in television. The rate of television advertisements is… 10-second spot, 1-minute spot etc.... .... Therefore, television commercial production companies should produce infomercials that are effective in conveying the product or service benefits offered by their clients without consuming too Even though it is legal to use television commercials for political campaigns, television advertisements in this country are heavily regulated by the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission (FCC, 2012; FTC, 2012)....
4 Pages (1000 words) Case Study

Designing a Baseline Occupational Health Survey

Following this, the samples will be sent to an IH-Accredited laboratory for analysis.... The lab will then proceed to carry out NIOSH 0600 for dust analysis and NIOSH 7500 for silica analysis.... or this case study, the most appropriate medical surveillance will be biological monitoring.... In the case study, the investigation will involve the collection of samples of sputum, urine, blood, and any other body fluid to investigate the exposure of employees to silica....
2 Pages (500 words) Case Study

Research in Bacteriology

Numerous factors are considered when Bacteriology case Study A.... Calculate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the Toxin A and B EIA, the GDH IHC and the PCR for toxin B gene using the cytotoxin assay as the Gold Standard. B....
2 Pages (500 words) Case Study

Audit Risk of a Scapa Company

The paper "Audit Risk of a Scapa Company" highlights that the company will inspect the minutes of the meetings of the boards of the directors, the correspondence with the buyer of the subsidiary and the exchange of any legal documents made with the buyer.... hellip; The disposal transaction actually materialised after the year-end....
7 Pages (1750 words) Case Study

Structuring Drivers: Power Integrations, Inc

In the paper “Structuring Drivers: Power Integrations, Inc” the role of supply chain management will be examined with reference to a particular company, Power Integrations, Inc.... a leading supplier of high-voltage analog integrated circuits used in power conversion.... hellip; The author states that in order to survive in modern commercial markets, firms need to develop a powerful supply chain that will effectively respond to the needs of the firm and its clients....
11 Pages (2750 words) Case Study

The Role of International Companies

The case study "The Role of International Companies " states that Mark & Spencer (M&S) is the second-largest retail chain store in the UK and has a market share of 11.... % in clothing and 4.... % in food.... It has 760 stores in the UK and 30 countries around the world.... (see Annual Report) … The paper explains the value additions available to a company in host countries on account of OLI....
8 Pages (2000 words) Case Study

Influence of Various Options on Asking Price for Used Mustangs

The structure of the report is as follows: section II presents the data and methodology of estimation, section III presents the results and analysis of the estimation.... Section IV extends the analysis to consider the potential threat of multicollinearity.... "Influence of Various Options on Asking Price for Used Mustangs" paper identify the effects of various aspects of used cars on the price of the car in order to assist the shop owner Tom come up with a price list that matches the preferences of the customers in the market....
7 Pages (1750 words) Case Study
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us