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Overview
The Tri-District Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) is operated under mutual agreements with three neighboring fire protection districts: Central Jackson County FPD, Fort Osage FPD, and Sni Valley FPD. All Tri-District HMRT personnel are firefighters trained to a minimum Hazmat: Technician level as outlined by DOT standards, and are team members on a voluntary basis. Located in Eastern Jackson County, and in the eastern suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri, the Tri-District HMRT protects a wide range of constituents, including but not limited to residential, light and moderate industrial, light to heavy commercial, and rural/agricultural. Prevalent hazards include Interstate 70, US Highways 24 and 40, East Kansas City Airport, numerous railroad lines, and a large number of industrial applications. With the Tri-District HMRT in place, over 75,000 people are offered protection from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive emergencies each day.
History
The Tri-District HMRT began as a very small establishment within the ranks of the Central Jackson County FPD in 1980. Full-time employee Don White and volunteers Bill Benjamin and George Glen were key players in the implementation of the team. Resources and equipment were extremely limited. Plugging and diking equipment and various hand tools were acquired from local companies, and training was completed through Johnson County Community College with the assistance of FF Benjamin. The bomb squad consisted of the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief conducting a visual search for explosive devices. Personal protective equipment was inept, expensive, and in limited supply. Over the next two decades, training and equipment improved greatly; however, staffing and funding were issues that plagued not only the Tri-District HMRT, but many Hazmat teams nationwide. September 11, 2001 was a turning point for the Hazmat response industry. The Federal Government’s focus was on protection of its citizens from another terrorist attack, whether it be foreign or domestic. Through Federal Grant money and assistance from the newly formed Department of Homeland Security and the Office for Domestic Preparedness, the Tri-District HMRT was able to substantially increase equipment and PPE. Team members found themselves actively participating in many training opportunities that were at one time financially unavailable or nonexistent.
Click Here To View HazMat Team Photos
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Equipment
The Tri-District HMRT placed into service a 2006 Pierce Enforcer Hazmat truck in August 2006. This truck is located at CJC Station #3. Designated as HM-1, the truck features a 3-door command cab with a 22” raised roof, 400 hp Cummins Diesel, Allison Transmission, TAK-4 Independent Front Suspension, seating for three personnel, rollover protection with side-mounted airbags, wrap-around countertops, above-counter cabinets for reference storage, in-cab refrigerator and freezer, Will-Burt Nite Scan light tower, telescoping Pelco camera system, in-cab monitor, two 200’ mounted cord reels, rack mounted SCBA’s with additional cylinder storage, eight-drawer toolbox, awnings, roll-up doors, four storage boxes on the roof of the truck, and adjustable shelving. Additional equipment is carried on the truck for the following purposes:
Hazardous Material Mitigation:
Chemical Absorbent Pads
Chlorine “A” Kit
Chlorine “B” Kit
Decontamination Pools
Decontamination Line Kits
GapSeal
Junkin Stokes Basket with wheel assemblies
Oil Dry
Overpack Drums
Pipe Patch Kit
Pipe Plugs and Caps
Plug N’ Dike
Skedco Hazmat/Decon Sked Stretcher
Soda Ash
Transfer Pump
Vermiculite
Zumro Decontamination Shelter with heater Monitoring and detection equipment:
Biosystems PHD Lite Multigas detector
BNC Sam 935
Canberra Mini-Radiac Detector/Dosimeter
CDV 700 Radiation Survey Meter
Coastal Environmental Systems WeatherPak MTR
Draeger CDS Kit
Draeger CMS Emergency Response Kit
Draeger Miniwarn Sensor
Draeger Tubes
Evidence Support Kit
HazCat Detection Kit
M8/M9 Paper
M256A1 Detector Kit
Meth Lab ID Kit
MSA Gas Analyzer
MSA Passport PID
RAE Systems AreaRae
RAE Systems MiniRae Plus
RAE Systems MultiRae Plus
RAE Systems ppbRae Plus
Saw Minicad MkII
Scott Explosimeter
SeaLife ReefMaster Dive Camera
Sensidyne Gas Analyzer
Smiths HazMat ID/Sens-IR
Thermo Bicron Surveyor 50
Thermo Eberline ESM Radiation Detector
Thermo FID TVA-1000
Thermo Mini 6100 EPD
WMD Detection Kit
Personal Protective Gear:
Assorted APR cartridges for use with Scott facepiece
Assorted Latex, Nitrile, and Viton Gloves
CavCom Communications System
ChemTape
Dupont Tychem TK Commander Level “A” Fully Encapsulated Entry
Dupont Tychem Reflector Level “A” Fully Encapsulated with Flash Protection
Dupont Tychem F Level “B” Entry and Splash Protection
Dupont Tychem QC Level “C” Decontamination
Hard Hats
IsoTherm Cool Vest
Motorola HT 1000 VHF Handheld Radio
Scott Air-Pak Fifty 4.5 with 4500 psig 60 Minute Carbon-Fiber Cylinder
Scott AV-3000 Facepiece
Tingley HazProof Overboots
Additionally, the Tri-District HMRT has in service a mass decontamination trailer that features multiple decontamination shelters and equipment and a diesel fuel water heater to provide warm water for winter operations. The Tri-District HMRT also maintains a Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) trailer. The MMRS system was created in 1996 and is in place to provide highly populated areas an enhanced capability to respond to a mass casualty incident caused by a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) event. This trailer carries decontamination shelters and equipment, folding stretchers, Draeger BG-4 extended duration SCBA, heaters, and a generator.
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Personnel
All members of the Tri-District HMRT are trained to a minimum level of Hazmat Technician. Team activations are announced on both Fire Dispatch and pagers. Both on-duty and off-duty team members report to CJC Station #3 for briefing and transport to the incident. Additionally, an engine company and med unit may be assigned to respond with the team to assist with decontamination and any medical needs that may arise. The HMRT structure consists of a team coordinator, a team manager, squad leaders, a team chemist and team members.
Training
Training is held every 3rd Friday of the month and typically covers in-service training on new equipment and refresher training on existing equipment, material identification, chemistry, policies and procedures, decontamination, and hazard mitigation. Additional training is held throughout the year in the form of specialized classes, local and regional drills, and refreshers. Team members are also encouraged to enroll in out-of-state courses. These specialized, hands-on courses are typically not offered at a local or regional level. Classes such as Radiological/Nuclear, Advanced Chemical/Biological Response, Evidence Collection, Threat and Risk Assessment, and Incident Command are offered at multiple sites, including National Fire Academy (Emmitsburg, MD), Nevada Test Site (NV desert), Center for Domestic Preparedness (Anniston, AL), U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground (UT desert), and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (Socorro, NM). With the emphasis on training, prevention and early detection of hazardous materials incidents, the risks to both civilians and responders are minimized.
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HAZMAT