CSM Emergency Response & Preparedness 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the Unified Command structure is used in stormwater emergencies when:
- A single agency has full jurisdictional authority
- Multiple agencies with different legal authorities are involved (Correct answer)
- The incident is limited to one geographic location
- Federal resources are not required
Correct answer: Multiple agencies with different legal authorities are involved
Unified Command is activated when multiple agencies with different jurisdictions or legal authorities must coordinate a joint response to the same incident.
Question 2: What is the primary function of secondary containment systems at industrial facilities in a stormwater emergency context?
- To filter pollutants before discharge to municipal systems
- To prevent spilled materials from reaching stormwater conveyances (Correct answer)
- To provide emergency water supply for fire suppression
- To store treated stormwater for reuse
Correct answer: To prevent spilled materials from reaching stormwater conveyances
Secondary containment systems (berms, dikes, vaults) are designed to capture spills at the source and prevent them from entering stormwater drainage systems.
Question 3: A stormwater system experiences a dam failure during a 100-year storm event. Which emergency action has the highest priority for protecting downstream populations?
- Collecting post-flood sediment samples
- Issuing downstream evacuation warnings (Correct answer)
- Documenting the structural failure for FEMA reporting
- Diverting upstream flow to detention areas
Correct answer: Issuing downstream evacuation warnings
Life safety is always the highest priority in dam failure events, making immediate downstream evacuation warnings the first critical action.
Question 4: Which type of stormwater emergency plan specifically addresses the actions a municipality must take to protect public health when combined sewer overflows (CSOs) occur during heavy rain?
- Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) (Correct answer)
- Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
- Pollution Prevention Plan (PPP)
- Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP)
Correct answer: Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP)
Long-Term Control Plans (LTCPs) are required by EPA for municipalities with combined sewer systems and address emergency management of CSOs to protect public health.
Question 5: During a flash flood emergency, a stormwater manager should use which communication protocol to ensure field crews receive consistent instructions?
- Social media posts visible to the public
- Plain language standardized under NIMS/ICS protocols (Correct answer)
- Technical jargon specific to the stormwater profession
- Informal phone calls between supervisors and crews
Correct answer: Plain language standardized under NIMS/ICS protocols
NIMS requires the use of plain language (clear text) during emergency communications to prevent miscommunication across agencies and disciplines.
Question 6: A facility's Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan must be amended within how many days after a spill that reaches navigable waters?
- 30 days
- 60 days (Correct answer)
- 6 months
- 1 year
Correct answer: 60 days
Under 40 CFR Part 112, SPCC plans must be reviewed and amended within 60 days following a spill that reaches navigable waters or adjoining shorelines.
Question 7: Which tool is most useful for pre-event emergency planning to identify which areas in a watershed will be inundated first during a major storm event?
- Dissolved oxygen monitoring network
- Stormwater GIS mapping with flood inundation layers (Correct answer)
- Biological assessment surveys
- Industrial discharge monitoring reports
Correct answer: Stormwater GIS mapping with flood inundation layers
GIS-based flood inundation mapping overlays watershed topography, drainage infrastructure, and storm modeling to predict which areas flood first during major events.
CSM Emergency Response & Preparedness 3
Under the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the Unified Command structure is used in stormwater emergencies when: