The Graniteville Train Crash Emergency Response Support Provided by the Savannah River National Laboratory Matthew J Parker CCM Charles H Hunter Robert L Buckley and Robert P Addis Atmospheric Technologies Group Savannah River National Laboratory Aiken South Carolina RETS REMP NUMUG June 29 2005 Outline Accident Details Support from SRNL and SRS ATG s Capabilities Modeling Effort Post Analysis Prior Training Preparation Summary Accident Details Time of accident 2 39 am Thursday January 6 2005 Location Graniteville SC Situation Norfolk Southern Railroad freight train collided with stationary train parked on a siding Accident involved rail cars containing chlorine cresol and sodium hydroxide Chlorine greatest airborne concern due to high volatility Graniteville Train Wreck Photos Courtesy of Augusta Chronicle Wreck Details Mutual Aid Agreements with Local Governments Mutual Aid Agreements signed in 1996 establishes SRNL partnerships with local Emergency Response agencies Participants are Aiken Barnwell Allendale Richmond and Columbia counties Agreements Identified three primary areas of collaboration Establish meteorological monitoring in critical hazard zones Provide custom hazard consequence assessment software Provide EMA directors consultation and support as needed during hazardous material or severe weather emergencies SRS Assistance SRSFD 16 On duty Fire Haz Mat Law Enforcement Agencies Approximate 30 volunteer members from SRS WSRC Emergency Management 7 Critical Incident Stress Counselors SRS Assistance cont SRS Operations Center SRSOC 6 Personnel Logistics requests DOE Headquarters Briefings Department of Homeland Security Briefings Wackenhut Services Incorporated 7 Personnel SRNL Atmospheric Technologies Group 6 Personnel Consequence modeling meteorological data Weather forecasting consulting SRS Tower Network 25 CO D EL O FI N C E G KE ED AI 9 towers on SRS 200ft 4 towers Richmond county 120 ft 20 1 Aiken 1 78 North Augusta 20 CO A CO BI M ND LU MO O H C IC R 520 78 SC AUGUSTA 19 1 781 WJBF 1500 ft TV tower 1 278 1 SAVANNAH RIVER SITE D CO MON RICH O KE C BUR data available every 15 minutes 78 CO CO N LL K E WE I A N R BA 278 25 SA V GA Existing SRS Monitoring Sites AN N AH 125 BAR ALL NWEL END L ALE CO CO RI VE R 03R00172 01 ai Local weather data Worldwide weather data Meteorological Data Flow Weather center computers TV Tower SRS Towers Sun Unix Relational Data base LINUX RAIDs Atmospheric Modeling Linux IBM Computer Arrays WIND System Software Applications F i r e w a l l Internet Regional Observing Stations NWS Observing Stations SC GA SRNL forecast models use weather analyses derived from data from NWS observing stations SRNL receives data from all NWS stations across all USA as well as world wide Surface observations Upper air balloon soundings Regional Atmospheric Modeling at SRS SRNL Forecasts Weather Conditions 24 36 hours For South East USA SRNL uses the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System RAMS to forecast winds etc at SRS for emergency response prescribed forest burns operational forecasting Model runs updated every 12 hrs Local Atmospheric Modeling at SRS SRNL Forecasts Weather Conditions 3 6 hours For SRS environs SRNL uses RAMS to nest a fine scale forecast FOR winds etc at SRS for emergency response Model runs updated every 3 hrs Consequence Assessment Modeling Hierarchical Menu of Consequence Assessment Codes Area Evacuation immediate phase 5 km Puff Plume early phase 0 5 50 km 2DPUF early intermediate phase 1 100 km LPDM intermediate phase 5 300 km Stream II aqueous Supporting codes NARAC CAMEO ALOHA HOTSPOT VSMOKE HPAC HYSPLIT Modeling Considerations Estimating a Chlorine release rate Extent of damage small crack vs large rupture Amount of inventory remaining Dense gas behavior for Chlorine Boiling point Other chemicals 29 3 F Synopsis of Meteorological Conditions Morning of Jan 6 Surface high 1022 mb off the Southeast U S coast producing south to southwesterly flow over Georgia and South Carolina Partly cloudy sky with areas of fog Observations from the SRS Regional Tower Network Wind Temp RH Atm Stability SSW 2 4 mph sfc 6 8 mph 200 ft Mid 50s F 90 Slightly stable to neutral Initial SRNL Response Day 1 Assistance requested shortly after 7 00 am First Puff Plume model result web posted for external access by 8 00 am Subsequent model results posted throughout the day every 2 3 hours with updated meteorology from local meteorological towers Ongoing discussions with Aiken County EOC and SC DHEC including briefings on current and forecast meteorological conditions Weather support for the SRS on scene responder teams Ongoing SRNL Response Day 2 Continued posting of model results posted throughout the day every 2 3 hours Ongoing discussions with Aiken County EOC including briefings on current and forecast meteorological conditions Modeling to support recovery actions Case 1 Spill of rail car with 40 inventory Case 2 Spill of rail car with 100 inventory First Atmospheric Model Run Posted on WEB site for local and states Puff Plume results integrated with GIS Local Atmospheric Modeling at SRS SRNL Forecasts Weather Conditions 12 hours For SRS environs SRNL uses RAMS to nest a fine scale forecast for winds etc at SRS for emergency response Forecast wind fields updated every 3 hrs Land Use Features for Inner Grids Topography shows northsouth oriented valley in which Graniteville is located Incorporation of Nested Grids Lowest level above ground outer 2 grids 15 m AGL inner 2 grids 7 m AGL Initialize model with RUC and nudge to lateral BC s every 3 hours Simulate from 18UTC 05 Jan to 00UTC 07 Jan Close up of railroad track spur Note the green tree tops Possible indication of plume depth Prior Training Preparation Annual Emergency Response Organization exercises Scenarios for accidents involving multiple tankers for an onsite railway non SRS shipments Multiple chemical types used HF NH4 etc Use of ALOHA for source term Integration with ATG s models Post analysis in our own backyard Summary SRNL resources worked as designed providing timely information directly to the local decision maker Aiken County Joint Operations Center State authorities in Columbia DHEC Very positive feedback from Aiken County authorities It was very crucial to give us up to date wind conditions and plume models Mike Hunt Aiken Co Sheriff courtesy Augusta Chronicle