- Author
- Department of Energy
- Title
- U.S. Department of Energy Commission on Fire Safety and Preparedness. Compendium and Final Report.
- Coporate
- Department of Energy, Washington, DC
- Keywords
- fire safety | planning | evaluation | wildland fires | damage | emergency plans | management systems | fire departments | certification
- Identifiers
- commissioners biography summaries; commission final report and recommendations; U.S. Department of Energy Responses; public meeting minutes; substantiating reports; appendix
- Abstract
- During the year 2000 the United States suffered significant loss of private property and natural resources due to wildfires. The Department of Energy experienced a number of wildland fires at several of its sites. The most notable was the Cerro Grande fire that caused extensive damage to the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the adjoining community. Based on "lessons learned" from these fires and recognizing that potential future vulnerability exists, the Secretary of Energy decided to undertake a multi- faceted fire safety initiative. A key facet of this initiative included the creation of an advisory commission on fire safety and preparedness. The Secretary created a 16-member independent Commission on Fire Safety and Preparedness consisting of nationally recognized fire safety professionals. The charter for the Commission on Fire Safety and Preparedness included providing guidance, advice, information, and recommendations on the readiness of the Department of Energy to mitigate the threat of wildland and facility fires. The 16 commissioners conducted a series of public meetings; visited several of DOE's sites and facilities; and reviewed numerous DOE study efforts that examined and made recommendations relative to the Agency's fire safety and emergency preparedness. This compendium includes minutes of the three public meetings, biographies of the commission members, several of the key documents used by them during their 18-month effort, and their final recommendations, delivered to Spencer Abraham, Secretary of the Department of Energy, on May 28, 2002. The Commission's five final recommendations to Secretary Abraham are as follows: · Reaffirmation of DOE Fire Safety Policy, · Measuring Management's Commitment to Fire Safety, · Independent Certification of Site Fire Departments, · Strengthening Emergency Preparedness Relationships, and · Working with DOE's Fire Safety Community. Secretary Abraham's memo on May 31, 2002, to the Department, asked for a status of the Department's readiness to respond to wildfires at DOE sites and surrounding communities, a list of prescribed burns being planned and any waivers granted, any enhancements to wildfire fire management programs, and any proposed actions taken in response to Commission recommendations that are applicable to DOE operations.