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OScrept.bac Page 20". fire into the landfill area. The decisive actions taken prevented the fire from spreading beyond the fringes and into the deep interior of the landfill . A rapidly spreading underground fire involving 2-3 million tires would have been extremely difficult and costly to control . Landfill fires have been known to burn for many years . The use of an informal cooperative agreement with a State agency whereby EPA takes the lead on the emergency response component and the State takes the lead on the remediation component was an innovative approach to site cleanup. In addition, the Superfund program saved approximately $500K. In these times of severe budget constraints, EPA needs to conserve funds for response to major incidents that pose serious threats to public health and safety. 3 . Organization An effective Unified Command System was established during the incident . There was a smooth transition from ICS to UC upon arrival of the EPA. The FOSC was quickly integrated into the command structure . There was also an appropriate integration of other agency officials into specific functions based on their capabilities and authorities . This was a text book example of how a Unified Command System should work in an emergency response situation. The excellent coordination among multiple agency groups made this a very positive experience and an outstanding response effort . B. Actions Taken by State and Local Agencies As the first responders, the CDF provided excellent leadership and implemented an effective incident management system. Their organization made an effort to work closely with other professionals from the various governmental and commercial entities that participated in the response . Of particular importance was the need for water. The nearest water supply was an irrigation canal . CDF met with the Department of Water Resources and worked out the access issues . In addition, CDF assisted EPA by providing a list of local vendors that could supply the necessary equipment . With this information, EROS was able to expedite the bid solicitation process and quickly mobilize water trucks, pumps, dozers and excavators . Particular credit should be given to Bill Richards and Kim Pennington for their excellent leadership and support . The CARD, CIWMB and County Health Services maintained an active role throughout the emergency response action. They provided valuable assistance . The overall performance of the CARB was commendable . Their response time, capabilities and analytical turn-around were impressive considering that the need for immediate results from off-site air monitoring stations .