Chief Concerns Richard Marinucci
One could make the case that fire departments have always responded to incidents involving hazardous materials. But, the establishment of hazardous materials (hazmat) response teams is relatively new, having evolved out of some serious incidents in the past 40 years or so.
The formalization of organized responses has been good, and standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Fire Protection Association have set requirements for those who respond. Though calls like these bring threats to the health and safety of firefighters, the record of serious injuries and deaths at these incidents shows a significant difference compared with hostile fire response. A logical question to ask is, “Is it because of the regulations that require compliance?” Like most questions of this nature, there is no simple answer. Many factors contribute.
Operationally, actions at a hazmat event are very different from those at a structure fire. A building fire will see quick actions, often with minimal intelligence gathering and “routine” approaches. In contrast, hazmat responses are very methodical. There rarely are unplanned actions, and there is much research regarding the materials involved to gain as much knowledge to take the best approach. Shortcuts are not taken, and risks are minimized. There are reasons to take this approach beyond the standards, as imminent threats to life and property are not normally a major consideration when establishing operational priorities. There are obvious longer-term threats that take priority in the response.
How do you get firefighters to slow down and think before acting on these calls when it appears most are programmed to act quickly on other events? One could surmise that the established regulations and standards are the driving force. But, you could also make the argument that these incidents are not as “exciting” as a structure fire. You might also say that typical firefighters without a lot of preparation for these calls have less confidence, so it is easier to slow down and think a bit more and wait for more responders with better training and more experience. Regardless, we should all agree that the approach is different, and those who choose to be on a special response team for hazmat incidents have the ability to change approaches.
Those in the fire service who do not want to be part of a hazmat team should be eternally grateful to those who are. They raise their hand, often as a voluntary extra assignment, to spend a lot of time training for incidents that are rare and complex. They use very specialized equipment including personal protective equipment that requires knowledge and skill. They change their mindset from aggressive to thoughtful. Admittedly, I was never too interested in this aspect of the job and have increased my respect for those who opt in.
As for the standards, they are very helpful, and compliance is necessary for safe operations. But, if that is not enough to motivate you, there are enforcement powers from the government. Depending on an incident’s severity, there will likely be outside agencies offering support and supervision. Sometime after the event, there will be a review of the actions taken. Failure to comply with standards and best practices will cause problems. And for those of you in a nonOSHA state, the EPA rules are the same and are applicable across the country. So, on a positive note, firefighters can comply with standards intended to keep them safer and offering a reasonable approach to mitigate a bad situation. Be aware that standards are reviewed regularly, and changes are made. Team leaders and an organization’s management must stay current and habitually pay attention to the state of the industry.
Each community must determine how it will respond to hazmat incidents. Some departments are large enough and have their own capabilities. Others opt for a mutual-aid response team of some type. There also can be contractual arrangements—sort of purchasing “insurance” in the unlikely event something should occur. And, of course, there are some who do absolutely nothing, either ignoring the possibility, not thinking it could happen, or knowing someone in the industry will come if help is needed. Doing nothing is not an option. Control your destiny and prepare for the potential hazards you may face.
There are two important considerations when selecting team members. One is the aforementioned difference in approach, from aggressive to methodical. The second is the need for academic interest. There is a lot to be learned. People who didn’t especially like the rigors of higher education, reading, and research are not good choices. There is a lot to learn and retain as well as the normal ever-changing threats that mandate continual education. Training team members is expensive, so selecting interested parties likely to spend years on a team is a sound practice.
Equipment is expensive. It is also often technical and requires regular and routine maintenance. You need to do the proper research so you get what you need for the potential threats you face. Understand that you will need personnel to perform maintenance and need funding for instances where the manufacturer or an authorized representative needs to do repairs and required maintenance that cannot be done internally. Housing the equipment is challenging. There is a lot of it, some of it is bulky, and a power source could be necessary. Do you have apparatus space or is a purchase necessary? There are plenty of options. Yet another consideration is housing. Space is often at a premium. If you are a single organization team, look at space availability. For regional teams, look for spare room among the membership. Then have the necessary insurance.
Developing response capabilities for hazmat incidents is challenging, and methods vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Some communities have little industry and limited transportation modalities. Others have very hazardous industries, storage facilities, and rail lines. Yet, there are similar threats that everyone faces such as roadway incidents. There are OSHA standards, EPA standards, and other requirements. Though most departments rarely respond to significant hazmat incidents, preparation is essential. These are definitely high-risk, low frequency-events for just about everyone. The most important thing is to have dedicated personnel with the right mindset.
RICHARD MARINUCCI is the executive director of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and chief (ret.) of the White Lake Township (MI) Fire Department. He retired as chief of the Farmington Hills (MI) Fire Department in 2008, a position he had held since 1984. He is a Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and Fire Engineering Editorial Advisory Board member, a past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), and past chairman of the Commission on Chief Fire Officer Designation. In 1999, he served as acting chief operating officer of the U.S. Fire Administration for seven months. He has a master’s degree and three bachelor’s degrees in fire science and administration and has taught extensively.
