Hazardous Materials Hotline©
April 10, 2026
Training News
The University of Findlay has announced a new, no-cost, grant funded course for hazardous materials shippers. The course is designed to reduce the risk of hazardous materials incidents in the transportation arena. TRANSCAER has vacancies in 2 ethanol emergency webinars in May and August.
Discussion: Departments, emergency planners, and LEPCs that are interested in working with the hazardous materials shippers in their areas should contact the University of Findlay for more information.
SFPC Design and Female Responders
A recent article has called into question the appropriateness of NFPA sizing specifications of structural firefighting protective clothing (SFPC) for female response personnel.
Discussion: As a first line of defense, appropriately sized and tailored SFPC is critical for protecting response personnel and standards should be adjusted to meet the intent of responder protection and health.
Water Infrastructure May Still Be at Risk
Three years ago, the Volt Typhoon cyber attack struck several water utilities in the United States. Despite vigorous attempts to find and remove the virus, this report indicates that it may never be fully eradicated and may pose a threat in the future.
Discussion: While not typically in the realm of hazardous materials planning and response, the ability to impact water distribution, hazardous materials facility operations, and transportation, including hacking into the control systems, is a threat and hazardous materials teams may find themselves responding to incidents caused by nefarious activities.
NTSB Report on Atmos Gas Explosions
The National Transportation Safety Board has released its findings of the residential, natural gas explosions that occurred in January 2024 in Jackson, MS.
Discussion: The incident resulted in 2 explosions, 3 days apart. Multiple recommendations were made to improve gas distribution network safety. Emergency planners, LEPCs, risk reduction, and response personnel should work with local gas distribution companies to determine of they are meeting the recommendations from the report to reduce risk to the community.
Federal News and Information
The Chemical Safety Board has released the 4th volume of reports of incidents, covering the period from July 2020 through May 2025. The US Geologic Survey has resources to assist with emergency planning and response. NOAA has several training opportunities and response tools available for response and planning. The Environmental Protection Agency also has tools to assist with emergency planning and response that are available at no cost.
Discussion: The federal government has provided significant resources to support emergency planning and response. These resources are generally offered at no cost.
Chemical of the Week and IAB Podcast
The latest chemical of the week worksheets (gasoline and urea) are out as is the latest IAB Podcast, where we discuss responder health and safety. New podcasts drop the 15th and 30th of each month. For suggestions, comments, or questions on the podcast, email podcast@interagencyboard.org.
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About the Author:
Dave Donohue is a hazardous materials course developer, educator, and trainer with experience at the local, regional and national level. He is also a Master Exercise Practitioner, firefighter, and emergency manager.
