Spill Center, a leading environmental claims and spill management resource, has introduced an onboard spill reporting process for trucks that enables drivers to activate company response systems quickly after spills of hazardous materials and initiate reporting and remediation actions.

Called QAlert(TM: 100.04, -1.88, -1.84%), the onboard spill reporting process is integrated into the Qualcomm(R: 64.32, -0.47, -0.72%) mobile information systems used by many carriers. A pre-formatted, electronic "spill macro" loaded into the truck's Qualcomm information system enables the driver to quickly fill in details of the spill and transmit it along with the truck's location, explained Tom Moses, president of Spill Center, which developed the onboard reporting process.

The message travels from the truck to Qualcomm's Network Operations Center, which forwards it to the carrier and Spill Center's 24/7 call center. Qualcomm's system enables the automatic sharing of data with Spill Center once authorized by the carrier, noted Moses, an environmental attorney and former U.S. EPA toxicologist.

Once Spill Center receives the message, trained personnel design spill response and remediation activities, including incident coordination, and activate the carrier's pre-filed spill contingency plan.

This plan contains spill-handling instructions and contact information. Spill Center calls the carrier and, at the carrier's direction, the appropriate authorities to alert them of the spill, the location of the truck, type and amount of material spilled and whether any special protective gear or precautions are needed on scene, related Moses.

Spill Center completes all required telephone reports on the carrier's behalf, relying on its regulatory reporting database of over 3,300 local, state and federal jurisdictions. Meanwhile, the carrier is provided with a list of clean-up contractors in the vicinity of the spill qualified to handle remediation and disposal of the spilled material. Spill Center maintains a list of over 3,000 for-hire emergency response contractors throughout North America.

"QAlert is designed to improve private- and public-sector response to hazmat incidents and increase efficiencies in the resolution of spills by quickly providing critical information needed to frame an appropriate incident response," said Moses. The process is based on homeland security technology developed by Spill Center as part of post-Sept. 11 efforts to prevent commercial trucks carrying hazardous materials from being used by terrorists, he added.

The onboard spill reporting process was developed with the cooperation of Qualcomm and Pottle's Transportation, a 35-year-old truckload carrier based in Bangor, Maine, which has deployed the system throughout its fleet of 109 company tractors, according to Moses.

The addition of QAlert recently helped Pottle's avoid a hefty fine from the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP: 19.50, +0.21, +1.08%) for making a late fuel spill incident report. An $11,500 penalty was substantially reduced as part of a Special Enforcement Project settlement, contingent on deployment of QAlert Onboard Spill Reporting throughout the fleet, Moses said.

For more information, contact Spill Center, 22 Kane Industrial Drive, Hudson MA 01749; telephone 877-395-9045 or visit the website at http://www.spillcenter.com/QAlert.



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