Chemical Accidents and Conflagration

Small-scale dispersion models support authorities, emergency responders and chemical establishments in the management of chemical accidents and conflagration.

Chemical accidents in urban areas or traffic accidents involving the transport of hazardous goods represent a major challenge for emergency responders and the authorities in charge. In case of an accidental release of toxic substances into the atmosphere, model calculations based on the latest weather data available, are applied to provide a rapid assessment of the size of the affected area. This allows the identification of the necessary protective or evacuation countermeasures. Small-scale dispersion models are used in emergencies cases, for emergency planning and exercises. In emergency planning, the focus is on SEVESO facilities, i.e. those, in which hazardous substances are present above certain, substance-dependent quantity thresholds. The models can be also applied to create realistic scenarios for training exercises and risk assessment.

The utility of the small-scale dispersion models can be found in the analyses of past conflagration and in the concrete planning of future fire management strategies. These models can also be used to support the spatial planning in order to determine the protection distances for planned measures, such as controlled burning in agriculture or forestry.

GeoSphere Austria offers a wide spectrum of scientific expertise and services in the field of meteorology and pollutant dispersion. This expertise is based on many years of experience in the area of the dispersion modelling and collaboration in national and international research projects, as well as participation in various disaster control exercises and exchange with stakeholders. The variety of simulation models used ensures that a wide range of topics can be dealt with using the latest scientific findings.