CHER-CAP Fact Sheet

What is CHER-CAP?

The Comprehensive HAZMAT Emergency Response-Capability Assessment Program (CHER-CAP) is offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist local communities and Tribal Governments in obtaining a greater understanding of HAZMAT risks, identifying planning deficiencies, updating plans, training first responders, and stimulating and testing the system for strengths and needed improvements. CHER-CAP is a technological hazards component toward building more prepared communities throughout our Nation.

As a voluntary program, CHER-CAP uses the skills and resources of Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments, and industry partners, to identify and address local jurisdictions' HAZMAT preparedness needs. It also enhances the community's ability to operate within the National Response System, as described in the National Contingency Plan. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation are key Federal partners in CHER-CAP.

FEMA's experience shows that jurisdictions significantly improve their HAZMAT and all-hazards preparedness as a result of CHER-CAP.

CHER-CAP Purpose

CHER-CAP's purpose is to:

• Identify opportunities for plan revisions
• Identify communication needs
• Identify resource needs
• Improve coordination
• Comply with training requirements
• Clarify roles and responsibilities
• Improve individual performance
• Serve as a Train-the-Trainer initiative for additional jurisdictions
• Test plans and systems in a comprehensive HAZMAT exercise
• Motivate public and private officials to support emergency programs
• Increase general awareness of proficiency and needs
• Improve Federal-State-Tribal Government-Local-Industry emergency management relationships

CHER-CAP also assists jurisdictions in identifying ways HAZMAT prevention and mitigation measures can be implemented to reduce HAZMAT emergencies and protect the public.

How CHER-CAP Works

Originally developed and implemented by FEMA's Region VI, CHER-CAP involves the commitment of people from responder agencies at the local, Tribal Government, State, and Federal levels and from industry. These participants include both paid responders and volunteers. CHER-CAP is conducted in phases spanning four to six months. Communities interested in undertaking CHER-CAP notify their State emergency management agency. The State then selects jurisdictions for participation. To qualify for selection, a jurisdiction must have, at a minimum:

• An active LEPC with an emergency response plan;
• A commitment to participate by a local industry partner in the jurisdiction; and,
• The commitment and involvement of a key first responder agency in the jurisdiction to take the community lead.

In Region VI, 33 communities have completed CHER-CAP. Additional communities are undertaking CHER-CAP during fiscal year 2000.

LEPC and Industry Commitment

After selection by the State, an initial meeting is held between the FEMA CHER-CAP coordinator and the LEPC to discuss the scope of CHER-CAP and the general timeframe that will be needed to conduct the program. The community then commits to undertake the program. Information gathered during CHER-CAP includes: the LEPC plan; existing mutual aid agreements; agency-specific standard operating procedures; existing data on hazardous substances in the community; documentation regarding training previously undertaken; and training needs. For more information on HAZMAT preparedness visit online FEMA's Emergency Management Institute and United States Fire Administration.

Most CHER-CAP initiatives eventually include fire, police, emergency medical services, public works, health and environmental agencies, public officials, and hospitals, in addition to industry.

After discussions of the plan and SOP review, communities then choose to implement any suggested modifications they deem appropriate. Local, Tribal Government, and State agency officials, industry, and the FEMA coordinator identify available training programs based on identified needs. Tabletop exercises also may be conducted prior to the full-scale exercise. The full-scale exercise scenario and staging considerations are developed with the LEPC and other participating entities as a part of the training so that agencies prepare to test and demonstrate their skills in the final no-fault, full-scale exercise.

The Exercise

The final phase of CHER-CAP, a full-scale HAZMAT exercise, is staged with "live" props, such as tanker trucks, railcars, or fixed facilities, with simulated smoke and leaking (dyed water) liquid and simulated casualties. CHER-CAP exercises involve a mass casualty scenario. As such, they also can be used to test the community's ability during the first critical hours to respond to a terrorist incident. The CHER-CAP exercise, typically involving 100 to 300 participants, is tailored to the specific HAZMAT risks the community confronts. The evaluation is based on the objective criteria outlined in FEMA's HAZMAT Exercise Evaluation Supplement which include:

• HAZMAT Teams
• Emergency Operations Center
• Fire, Rescue and HAZMAT
• Incident Command System
• Law Enforcement
• Emergency Medical Services
• Medical Facility
• Resource Management
• Direction and Control
• Facilities, Equipment and Displays
• Communications
• Public Information
• Population Protective Actions
• Population Protection/Relocation Centers
• Re-entry and Recovery
• Post Exercise Analysis

Peer evaluators observe the exercise and record their observations. Fire operations are observed by evaluators from other fire departments; police by police; hospitals by other hospitals, etc. The exercise takes approximately four hours followed by a post exercise analysis. A final report is submitted to participants following the exercise.

FEMA believes that communities must be better prepared for the accidents resulting from technological hazards as well as natural disasters. All communities face HAZMAT risks. FEMA offers CHER-CAP as a voluntary, comprehensive preparedness effort to address HAZMAT accidents or intentional incidents. FEMA encourages local jurisdictions and industry to work together toward being better prepared for HAZMAT and all-hazards risks that we may confront in the 21st century.

For more information regarding CHER-CAP, contact your FEMA regional office or State emergency management agency.