Welcome - Canadian Standards Association

DA2ER welcomes the Canadian Standards Association (@CSA_Standards on Twitter) as a follower to the DA2ER Twitter feed.
The Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response (DA) chart (an older version) is included as a resource in the CSA Z731 Emergency Preparedness and Response standard. It is also referenced in CSA training courses on Z731. Here is a link to the Shop CSA web site where Z731 and associated training are listed.
The CSA Z1600 technical committee, of which I am a member, is currently evaluating the future of the Z731 standard, since the more comprehensive Z1600 standard has been issued. Should Z731 be upgraded and reissued to complement Z1600 or incorporated into Z1600? Whatever the case, we encourage CSA to continue to reference A Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response as a resource to either Z731 or Z1600 and hope the DA2ER web site, DA2ER Google group and other associated resources will make DA an even more valuable resource.

Google Group for DA2ER

A DA2ER Google Group has just been set up to facilitate discussion among users of A Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response. Anyone interested in DA may apply to join the group. A requirement to request membership to the group has been established simply to prevent the group from being used for spam, unsolicited advertising, or anything other than its intended purpose.

The group can be used to participate in discussion topics already posted to the group, add discussion topics related to DA, or send e-mail to group members. It can be used to recommend upgrades to the Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response Chart and share those recommendations with other users.

To join the DA2ER group click here.

Chemical Industry Planned Updates for DA

The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada formerly Canadian Chemical Producers Association emergency response committee is currently working on upgrades to the Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response chart and associated training materials. The revised chart and training materials, which will be produced in both French and English are expected to be available some time during Q2 2010. The revised training materials will be highlighted on the DA2ER.info web site when available.

Disciplined Approach - Overview Video

I just developed and uploaded a You Tube video to the home page of the DA2ER.info web site which provides a brief overview of the Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response process. Depending on the level of interest it is possible to develop a series of videos to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the process. I would appreciate any feedback on the level of interest in seeing additional training videos.

Google Sites & DA2ER.info Web

Making good progress in setting up the DA2ER.info web site to support A Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response (DA). Although I have set up numerous web sites in the past this is the first time I have used Google Sites. There is, of course, a learning curve as with any technology and there are some limitations in the site design but thus far it has enabled me to set up what I hope will be a valuable site to support DA users and those interested in learning more about it.

Purpose of this Blog

In November 1978 I attended a National Fire Protection Association training course on Handling Hazardous Materials Transportation Emergencies in Oklahoma City, OK. Following the course I developed a flowchart to help our response teams work with First Responders to manage responses to dangerous goods / hazardous materials emergencies. The flowchart, titled "A Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response" was based on concepts presented during the course but was modified and upgraded to help Canadian oil and chemical industry emergency response teams and First Responders more effectively handle transportation emergencies for all shipping modes.

That chart was shared with oil and chemical industry emergency response committees and with their help numerous upgrades and modifications have been made over the past thirty years. The chart is actively used in Canada, by some Exxon Mobile affiliates and it has been translated and is used in several countries throughout the world.

Although there are numerous versions of the chart in circulation there is no longer any coordination of upgrades among the various users. I previously provided that coordination and arranged centralized printing of the charts when working as an emergency response advisor for the chemical and oil divisions of Imperial Oil.

To help promote use of the Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response, to facilitate sharing recommended upgrades and sharing of resource material among the various users of the chart, I created a web site, this blog and some other resource materials. Please visit the web site at http://www.DA2ER.info

Stay tuned and follow this blog for more history on A Disciplined Approach to Emergency Response and upgrades which are currently being made to the process and charts.