Hazardous materials training under way

By Paul Fallon
Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT October 22, 2008 12:28 am

— Firefighters with the Fairmont department are currently undergoing training to help them deal with hazardous-material incidents.
According to Conn Hayden, the class instructor, approximately 94 percent of all hazardous materials are transported across the nation’s highways. Therefore, area firefighters must be kept up to date on hazardous-material training because of their proximity to Interstate 79.
“We’re teaching firefighters how to respond to all sorts of hazardous-material incidents,” Hayden said. “It doesn’t matter whether those spills take place on a roadway, a train track or a local storage facility.”
The classes started last Tuesday, Fairmont Fire Chief Roger Wilson said. They will continue to run until this Friday, he added. All 39 Fairmont firefighters are taking part in the class, he said.
“Hazardous-material response classes are important because we have all sorts of different chemicals moving across our roads,” Wilson said.
He added that not only do firefighters have to deal with hazardous material spills, but nowadays building materials often contain dangerous materials. Therefore, firefighters must be prepared to deal with hazardous materials in case of a structure fire as well.
“This class teaches us how to deal with all aspects of hazardous-material response — from isolation to evacuation,” Wilson said.
Wilson also noted that firefighters are required to participate in hazardous-material training every year. This class satisfies that requirement, he added.
The class is taught through the International Association of Firefighters. Hayden has been teaching the class for around 14 years, he said.
“And since the class is through the association, it doesn’t cost the fire department or the city anything,” Hayden said.
The class being offered this week to the firefighters consists of classroom work. However, Hayden pointed out that practical, hands-on training may be held in the future.
“The city should feel fortunate that they’re fire chief is willing to bring this training in,” Hayden said.
He went on to say that most of the firefighters in the city have to take only eight hours of the hazardous-material response training to fulfill their yearly requirement. However, he noted that the firemen were all taking the full 24-hour course.
“They’re really going above and beyond to make sure they can protect their communities,” Hayden said.
E-mail Paul Fallon at pfallon@timeswv.com.