Last Updated on March 10, 2024 by Cass County Emergency Management Agency
On March 7, 2024 the Cass County Emergency Management Agency conducted an emergency response exercise at the Logansport Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant on Wabash Avenue. This simulated the release of chlorine from a damaged container. This was a simulation, no actual hazardous substances were used in the exercise.
Personnel from this year’s HAZMAT Technician course were joined from last year’s graduates, as well as firefighters from the Logansport and Walton Community Fire Departments who provided additional on scene equipment and support. This was the final practical test for those finishing this year’s HAZMAT Technician course, and students will take their written certification exam next week.
The purpose of the Hazardous Materials Technician course is to provide for the student already trained at the Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations level emergency responders with the knowledge and skills to meet the minimum job performance requirements as outlined in NFPA 472. Candidates must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to safely and effectively identify hazardous materials make the necessary notifications, perform scene isolation, public protection actions and defensive control measures at hazardous materials incidents, identify chemical and physical properties, toxicology; recognition and identification of hazardous materials; laws, regulations, and standards, information resources; personal protective equipment; detection devices, hazard and risk assessment, and decontamination; drum handling, damage assessment and tactical considerations, and leak control; handling cylinder emergencies, drum sampling, and terminating the incident; and required documentation.
Financial support for this program was provided by the Cass County Local Emergency Planning Committee, a Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and Duke Energy Foundation.
Additional on site support was provided by Logansport Utilities, The Indiana Office of the State Fire Marshal (CBRNE Section), Cass County Emergency Medical Services and Cass County Fire District 1.
This year’s HAZMAT Technician course graduates will be providing HAZMAT Response with teams in Cass, Howard and Miami Counties.
See more photos on our Facebook page here.
SOURCE: News release from Cass County Emergency Management Agency