Figure 2. Examples of First R esponder sampling and

1. Adam L. Miller, Director, HuntingdonCountyEmergency Management Agency, Huntingdon, PA 16652, USA Richard R. Hark, Department of Chemistry, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA 16652, USA • A comprehensive response to an unknown hazard requires the First Responder to don protective apparel that is appropriate for the threat, up to and including level A vapor / flash fire combination protective suits, and carry all tools and instruments necessary to identify / classify the threat from the unknown material. • A variety of sensory and analytical instruments are needed to assess a hazard and operate in a hazardous environment. Other than standard tools for access and mitigation, a typical reconnaissance mission for the responder would require the following instruments to properly assess a hazard and protect the responders (examples shown in Figure 2): • multi-gas meter (containing sensors for the lower explosive limit of combustible vapors, oxygen content in atmosphere by percentage, carbon monoxide content in atmosphere by ppm, and other toxic gas sensors) • photo-ionization detector (PID) • radiation detector (varies) • vapor (and liquid if applicable) identification / classification strips • specialty detection / classification instruments for specific threats as anticipated (e.g. ion-mobility spectrometers for explosives, Raman spectrometers for liquid mixtures, etc.) • sample collection / storage containers • audio/visual documentation / transmission equipment. First Responders need to increase the efficiency of a materials recognition and identification mission. The concept of reducing the volume of instruments used to gather needed information by crossing disciplinary boundaries of detection instruments holds great interest in the First Responder market. Introduction • First Respondersareroutinelyfacedwiththechallenge of rapidly and reliablyidentifyingunknownsubstancesencountered in a widerange of fieldconditions. An extensive array of field tests and portable instrumentation have been developed and/or adapted for the purpose of detecting the presence of substances commonly encountered during First Responder operations including: • chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CBRNE) threats • toxic industrial materials (TIM’s) • pharmaceuticals • illegal drugs • benign substances (e.g., harmless white powders) • Laser-inducedbreakdownspectroscopy (LIBS) is a sensor technology thatcouldallow First Responders to manage hazardousmaterialsincidentsmoreefficiently, effectively, and economicallythanpreviouslypossibleusing multiple pieces of equipment. Thetechniqueprovidesnearlyinstantaneouselementalanalysis of solids, liquids and gases, doesnotrequireanysamplepreparation, and isamenableforuse as a robust, man-portabledevice in thefield in eitherstand-offorstand-nearmodes.LIBS utilizes a broadbandspectrometer to collectthe light emittedby a microplasmawhichisformedwhen a pulsedlaserisused to interrogate a target. The data obtained can be subjected to chemometric analysis and comparison against a spectral library. This will facilitate rapid identification of the material and provides the First Responder with the information vital for making crucial decisions in a timely manner. • LIBS systemsthataredesignedspecificallyforusebythe First Respondercommunityarecurrentlyunderdevelopment. Thispresentation will exploresome of theissuesrelated to thedevelopment of suitableinstrumentation and spectrallibraries, as well as incorporation of thetechniqueintoexisting First Responderprotocols. Application of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for the Effective Management of Hazardous Materials Incidents Figure 3. A hazardous materials emergency involving fire and freight railcars. . LIBS and Tomorrow’s First Responder Environment Responders must gather information quickly in dynamic and threatening environments; within which threats in many hazard classes exist. LIBS has the demonstrated potential to effectively assist responders identify threats, and rule out benign materials as non-threatening, in each and every hazard category that they encounter. LIBS promises swift and accurate determination of threat to the trace level, expanding the capabilities of any first response organization exponentially while providing a potential platform to reduce the number and type of instruments required to obtain needed information for hazard identification. Key areas of developmental concern are the need for robust, uniform libraries in all hazard classes, ergonomic compatibility and decontamination readiness. Units with complementary identification techniques (e.g., the LIBS / Raman unit shown in Figure 4) are also being developed. Today’s First Responder Environment First Respondersmustbeable to quickly and correctlyassessthe nature and magnitude of riskfrom an unknownsubstance in a fieldresponseenvironment. In order to accomplishthismission, respondersmustraisefunds to purchase a widevariety of analyticalequipment to addressthreats in each of the CBRNE categories, as well as TIM‘s and non-hazardousmaterials. Thecostburden to accomplishthistaskissignificant. Figure 2. Examples of First Responder sampling and monitoring equipment used for first-response operations at hazardous materials incidents. With so many instruments needed to be operated and transported using chemical protective clothing (shown below) there is a marked need for a technology (such as LIBS) which can be used to identify materials in all of the CBRNE, TIM and other related threat categories without adding to the physical response burden of the responder. Figure 4.A3 Technologies Man Portable LIBS/Raman instrument being fielded by a responder in a Level A Vapor Protective Suit. Figure 1. Responders working at a decontamination line.