Academy Week 16 - Haz Mat First Responder

Week 16 at the Academy gave the Trainees a first-hand experience in recognizing hazardous materials, identifying them, and responding appropriately to their public threat. They were taught the many laws that govern the use and transportation of HazMat. Signs and symptoms of exposure to certain materials were covered, as well as the treatment necessary to limit the amount of injury victims would suffer. The Trainees were able to experience the mayhem of a scene involving terrorism, playing both victim and rescuer. They had to deal with chaos, while trying to control frantic "victims" and insure that they were decontaminated (decon) in a mass casualty rinsing station. The Trainees had to keep the victims grouped together, build the shower area with equipment from their fire engines, and then systematically run all the victims through the decon area prior to giving them some covering for when they were completely clean. Although it was only simulation, it became clear very quickly just how difficult it would be to deal with this type of incident.