Hazardous Materials Hotline©
February 19, 2025
The National Fire Academy has openings in the pilot for the Fundamental of Hazardous Materials courses, Hazardous Materials/WMD Incident Command, and Advanced Science of Hazardous Materials/WMD. In April, the Fire Department Instructors Conference is happening in Indianapolis, FDNYs Search and Rescue Field Medicine Symposium takes place in NYC. May brings the Midwest HazMat Conference, and June the IAFCs Hazardous Materials Teams Conference. For more events, visit the InterAgency Board events page.
Discussion: In person training events provide opportunities to learn from others in the classroom/training ground and, more importantly, during informal networking discussions. In person training has proven to be more effective in locking information into the memory for use later during emergency incidents.
Wildland Lessons Learned Report Published
The Wildland Lessons Learned Center has published its 2024 Lessons Learned Report.
Discussion: While not often thought of as traditional hazardous materials, hazardous materials have a role in planning for wildland operations incidents, decontamination of personnel and equipment, and there are frequently hazardous materials incidents within wildland fires. In addition, the lessons learned cross disciplines, including the hazardous materials community.
LIDAR Applications Article
A recent article in Popular Mechanics discusses the growing capabilities of LIDAR.
Discussion: While not specific to hazardous materials, the article discusses the capabilities of LIDAR to “see” at distance, through fog, smoke, and rain, to map out in detail. This technology has applications for emergency response, including hazardous materials. For example, the technology can be used to augment initial reconnaissance, mapping out container damage and, when coupled with 3-D printing, developing custom patches. Responders should maintain awareness of technologies that can be used to supplement existing techniques and gaps.
FEMA S&T Publishes UAS Blue Reports
As part of its SAVER program, FEMA’s Science and Technology Directorate has published its Blue UAS Reports to assist with the assessment and purchase of UAS.
Discussion: The reports are designed to assist agencies with determining their requirements for unmanned aerial systems (drones), the capabilities and limitations of various drone technologies, and ensuring that the technologies have been vetted by the DoD. Agencies seeking to enter into, or expand their drone capabilities can use the reports to assist with assessment and purchase, ensuring due diligence and fiscal responsibility.
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