Hazardous Materials Team

Mission Statement

The Conway Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team is made up of designated individuals who are dedicated to serving our city and protecting the environment through prevention, preparedness, with both efficient and effective response to hazardous materials incidents, whether accidental or intentional. We serve area residents by responding to emergencies and monitoring hazardous materials. The vision of the Hazmat Response Team is to cooperatively identify and resolve issues regarding the planning, training, and preparation for, and response to hazardous materials incidents that are most likely to occur within the City of Conway.

The Conway Fire Department shall operate, within the capabilities of the resources, training, and personal protective equipment available, at the technician level as set forth in OSHA 1910.120. The primary functions to be performed shall be rescue, isolation, identification, and decontamination at a hazardous materials incident.

Benefits of the Hazardous Material Team

Immediate response to chemical emergencies to insure public protection

Professional emergency management with public safety the primary concern

Availability of public emergency responders trained to meet OSHA safety requirements, avoiding the need for private sector duplication of cost and effort

 DEFINITIONS

Hazardous Materials: as defined by the DOT is one that poses an unreasonable risk to the health and safety of operating or emergency personnel, the public, and /or the environment if it is not properly controlled during handling, storage, manufacture, processing, packaging, use, disposal, or transportation. It covers all of the hazard classes/divisions.

Hazardous Substances: EPA term for chemicals that, if released into the environment above a certain amount, must be reported and depending on the threat to the environment, federal involvement in handling the incident can be authorized.

Extremely Hazardous Substance: EPA term for chemicals that must be reported to the appropriate authorities if released above the threshold reporting quantity

Toxic Chemicals: EPA term for chemicals whose total emissions or release must be reported annually by owners and operators of certain facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use a listed toxic chemical

Hazardous Chemicals: OSHA term that denotes any chemical that would be a risk to employees if exposed in the work place.