Multi-Dept/Countywide HazMat Fire personnel

[Adler]

I was wondering if any rural volunteer deparments do a county wide or multi department HazMat Training sessions. Let me explain. In rural Iowa, we have some volunteer fire departments that are at Operations level, but most are at Awareness Level. An idea has been brought up that would allow personnel from area Fire Depts, be trained at the Technician's Level. I believe this is a great idea. But, I think I would need to impress the benefits of this plan to the area squads. I would like to see a each dept in the county and area send at least 2-3 men to a HazMat Technician's Course and then these individuals would be responsible for training together and would respond to any HazMat incident in the area, instead of having the mostly volunteer squads (awareness levels) respond. We have a HazMat team from Sioux City respond for the big stuff. Funding would not be a problem because the state of Iowa has grants for system development and training. I would like to see somewhere between 20-25 Firefighters attend the Technician's course.

If anyone has done something similar to this please let me know. I would like to know protocols, SOP's, Training requirements, hurdles, roadblocks, etc. Thank you in advance.

Brad L. Meyer
Emergency Services Director
Hawarden, IA
[email protected]

[570eck]

In our area we have a slighty different set-up. We run the county decon with 2 other co.s running the Tech. end. All of our decon persons must be trained to the operational level and with the other co.s their entry people must be to tech level. I am currently the only tech in my sta. but am allowed to assist the other co.s in any means needed. We are still fairly early in the stages of all this but it seems to be coming together pretty well. We all train together, we also do fast work with each other so the crews are getting pretty good with working with each other. let me know how things work out for you

[fireater]

In Linn County, Ia we do that same thing that you are talking about. Our county HAZ-MAT team is made up of people from the area dept and train together and run calls together. Our team is contracted for most of the eastern county's of Ia ie Linn, Benton, Buncannon and so on. It is run though the Linn county EMA if you need any info please e-mail me and I 'll tell you all I know.

Cal

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Stay Safe and remember to put the wet stuff on the red stuff

[Corvin]

Adler,

As you are from Iowa, you might be aware of the Johnson County Haz Mat Team. If you are, disregard. If you like some more info e-mail me at [email protected]

Be Safe
Chris