Farmington Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team
Hazardous Materials Coordinator
Captain Mike Mestas
The City of Farmington has numerous Industrial, Oil, Gas, and fixed facilities using and producing hazardous materials. It also has all modes of transportation for which hazardous materials are transported. Highway traffic, and miles of transportation routes with in San Juan County. Based on these factors and population density, the Fire Department has provided Hazardous Materials Response since the late 1980’s...
The Farmington Fire Department having the primary responsibility for response to hazardous material incidents in the City of Farmington prepared for responding to incidents of this nature by establishing a Hazardous Materials Response Team in 1987, and became a Regional Response Hazmat Team in the early 1990’s.
Resources
Over 18 technician level trained hazmat team members. 40 operations trained members of decontamination companies, and first responder operational level trained members.
Haz-Mat Team: Sr-4, Ut-4 Operations Trailer, Mass Decon Trailer. (18 members), Staff Support.
Decon companies: Specially trained companies; Engines; 1, 2, 4, 5. Each Engine carries decon equipment on board to begin emergency decon operations. Including; Soaps, bleach, tarps, saranex tyvek suits for members, additional EMS equipment. The department is in the planning stages of acquiring a decontamination trailer, and an EMS Specific Hazmat Trailer as well as a Hazmat Spectrometer.
Engine Companies, Hazmat Trailers and Sr-4 (Special Response Unit), responds to specific Level Hazmat incidents.
Sr-4 Hazardous Materials Unit responds on level 2 & 3 incidents (Stationed at 4). It contains, on board computer with CAMEO (including Title III facilities, chemical inventories etc.), reference library, communications equipment, monitoring equipment (dragger tubes, dragger chip analyzer, CO-H2S-O2-LEL monitors, Photo Ionization Device, pH, spill and waste classifiers, Alpha,/Beta/Gamma radiation Detectors), PPE (Level A, Level B, nomex, gloves, boots, helmets, SCBA etc.), absorbents, DECON equipment, tools and other miscellaneous equipment. In addition to increased reliability, it carries an onboard cascade air supply system, and an updated computer system.
Ut-4 and Trailer along with Mass casualty Trailer also Respond to Level 2 & 3 incidents as needed for support and along with team call in for specific situations, and for Regional response with in San Juan county and via mutual aid agreements to outlying areas and States. (Ariz, Colo).
| Level | Incident |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Spill of less than 10 gallons of gas, diesel, etc. |
| Level 1 | Spill of 10-50 gallons of gas, diesel and transformers or capacitors from utility poles |
| Level 2 | Over 50 gallons of gas, diesel or the report of a chemical spill, leak, accident or fire or other hazardous conditions |
| Level 3 | Incident requiring use of special chemical protective suits and equipment |
| Level | Response |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | 1 Engine |
| Level 1 | 1 Engine, Batt-1 Notification |
| Level 2 | 1 Engine, Sr-4, Batt Chief, On Duty HazMat Team. |
| Level 3 | 2 Engine, Sr-4, Ladder 1, R-2, Batt Chief, Haz Mat Team all out, Staff Notification. |
Training
- All Haz Mat team members completed a 40 hour Technician level program.
- All Haz Mat team members completed a 40 hour Hazmat Chemistry Program.
- All shift personnel have completed special training sessions and drills in addition to 24 hour in service haz mat program at the awareness and operations level.
- All Farmington Fire Department members receive a 24 hour in service haz mat program that incorporates continuous monthly Hazmat training. In addition, each team member completes yearly testing and training at the technician level to maintain their certification. Training is mandatory along with yearly LEPC drills and exercises..