SERC Acronyms/Terms

ALOHA – Atmospheric dispersion modeling software that is used for evaluating releases of hazardous chemical vapors.

ARCGIS - A geographic information system for working with maps and geographic information. It is used for creating and using maps, compiling geographic data, analyzing mapped information, sharing and discovering geographic information, using maps and geographic information in a range of applications, and managing geographic information in a database.

ARISTITEK – Wyoming based company which provides the platform for the Tier II submissions in Wyoming.

CAA – Clean Air Act

CAMEO - a system of software applications including ALOHA and MARPLOT used widely to plan for and respond to chemical emergencies.

CBRNE – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives

CDC – U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CERCLA – Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Also known as the Superfund Act)

CFATS – Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards

CFR – Code of Federal Regulations

CFS - Commodity Flow Study

CHEMTREC – “Chemical Manufacturers Association Chemical Transportation Emergency Center”. Call center that can be used in the even of a HAZMAT emergency to learn what possible steps to take if other resources are not available

CST – Civil Support Team. National Guard units designed to assist local agencies with a CBRNE event. The 84th CST is located in Cheyenne.

CWA – Clean Water Act

DEQ – Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality

DHS – U.S. Department of Homeland Security

DOD – U.S. Department of Defense

DOE – U.S. Department of Energy

DOH – Wyoming Department of Health

DOT – United States Department of Transportation

EHS – “Extremely Hazardous Substances”. Substances determined by the EPA to be extremely dangerous. Tier II Facilities must report these chemicals on their Tier II reports annually.

EM – City/County/Local Emergency Manager

EMP – Electromagnetic Pulse

EMPG – “Emergency Management Performance Grant”. Federal grant available through FEMA which can be used by local, tribal and state emergency management agencies.

EOC – Emergency Operations Center

EOP – Emergency Operations Plan

EPA – Environmental Protection Agency

EPA Region 8 – located in Denver, Colorado oversees federal cleanup of HAZMAT incidents for Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 29 Tribal Nations.

EPCRA – “Emergency Planning and Community Right to know Act”. This act requires each state to form a SERC which in turn is responsible for forming LEPCs.

ERG – “Emergency Response Guidebook” Quick reference guides designed to allow first responders easy identification of placards on vehicles carrying HAZMAT.

ESF – “Emergency Support Function”. Fifteen separate areas that provide the structure for coordinating interagency support for a response to an incident.

FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA Region VIII – located in Denver, Colorado oversees federal emergency management for Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 29 Tribal Nations.

FRP – Federal Response Plan/Facility Response Plan

GIS – Geographic Information System

GWPS – Groundwater Protection Standard

HAZMAT – Hazardous Materials

HAZWOPER – Hazardous Waste operations and Emergency Response

HMEP Grant - “Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant”. A grant to implement training and planning programs that address differing needs for each location based on demographics, emergency response capabilities, commodity flow studies, and hazard analysis.

IC – Incident Commander

ICS – Incident Command System

JIC – Joint Information Center

JOC – Joint Operations Center

LEPC – Local Emergency Planning Committee

MARPLOT - A mapping program within the CAMEO software suite which is used widely to plan for and respond to chemical emergencies. 

NASTTPO – National Association of Sara Title III Program Officials

NCP – National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan

NIMS – National Incident Management System

NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NPDES – National Pollution Discharge Elimination System

NRC – Nuclear Regulatory Commission OR National Response Center

NWS – National Weather Service

OPA – Oil Pollution Act

OSHA – U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PEAC – “Palmtop Emergency Action for Chemical” (pronounced “PEEK”).  Also known as PEAC-WMD. Product developed by Aristitek to provide emergency responders with the ability to do real time modeling of multiple layers when responding to a CBRNE incident.

PHMSA – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Pronounced “FIMSA”)

PIO – Public Information Officer

POC – Point of Contact

RAP – Radiological Assistance Program

RERT – “Regional Emergency Response Team” 8 teams generally serving multiple county areas within Wyoming for the purpose of organizing, equipping, training and responding to CBRNE, or other major events impacting a community.

RMP – “Risk Management Plan” required by facilities that use EHSs. 

RRT – Regional Response Team (Federal version of RERT, separated into regions identical to the EPA and FEMA regions)

SARA TITLE III – Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (The portion of federal law which establishes EPCRA)

SDWA – Safe Drinking Water Act

SERC – State Emergency Response Commission

SHSP – “State Homeland Security Grant Program” provides funds for homeland security and emergency operations planning; the purchase of specialized equipment to enhance the capability of state and local agencies to prevent, respond to, and mitigate incidents of terrorism involving the use of CBRNE weapons.

Stafford Act - Provides the statutory authority for most federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to FEMA and its programs.

TERC – Tribal Emergency Response Commission

TIER II (Report or facility) – Refers to an amount of stored hazardous chemicals. Facilities designated as having such an amount of hazardous chemicals on hand annually are required to file a Tier II report.

THIRA – “Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment” is a three-step risk assessment process that helps communities understand their risks and what they need to do to address those risks.

USDA – U.S. Department of Agriculture

USGS – U.S. Geological Survey

VOC – Volatile Organic Compound

WAPA – Western Area Power Administration

WDA – Wyoming Department of Agriculture

WISP – Wyoming Information Sharing Platform. A central online location to access road, weather, fire, drought, flood, etc. information.

WIPP – “Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Area” in Carlsbad, NM where used nuclear materials are stored indefinitely. Transported to the location via the US interstate system (also know as a WIPP Corridor).

WOHS – Wyoming Office of Homeland Security

WYDOT – Wyoming Department of Transportation