The Cayuga County Hazardous Materials Response Team recently conducted its monthly training exercise, focusing on lessons learned from recent incidents and preparing members for real-world emergency response situations.
During the training, team members reviewed the response to the group’s two most recent hazardous materials incidents, discussing operational tactics, response decisions, and areas for improvement.
Crews then took part in a hands-on training scenario that began as what appeared to be a routine EMS call. Responders were challenged to identify signs of a potential hazardous materials incident, establish command operations, rescue victims, and request additional HazMat resources.
As part of the exercise, a specialized entry team worked to identify an unknown substance using several material identification methods. Wireless air-monitoring technology was also utilized throughout the scenario, allowing real-time readings to be sent directly to the command post to help guide operational decisions and maintain responder safety.
Following the identification phase, the team’s decontamination sector carried out technical decontamination procedures before the training scenario concluded.
The Cayuga County Hazardous Materials Response Team includes members from the Auburn Fire Department and fire departments across Cayuga County. The team and its equipment are funded through Cayuga County and provide specialized hazardous materials response capabilities throughout the region.
