Emergency responders take part in haz-mat training

by Philip A. Janquart

 Emergency responders descended on the Vendome Events Center Thursday, Feb. 17 to take part in a day-long, haz-mat training exercise.

 The Weiser Fire Department, which hosted the training event, worked in conjunction with the Weiser Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Weiser Ambulance District, Idaho Region 3 Hazmat Team, and the Idaho National Guard’s 101st Civil Support Team. The simulated event involved the intended distribution of fentanyl. 

 “In this scenario, an unknown substance was identified, and we had a couple of simulated victims,” explained Weiser Fire Department Chief Tim Atwood. 

 The victims overdosed on their own product, fentanyl in this case, and emergency responders as well as haz-mat crews were dispatched to the scene.

Why the big response? 

 Fentanyl is a highly concentrated synthetic opioid that is 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine. First developed as a pain management tool for cancer patients, the drug has been diverted for abuse, commonly added to heroin to increase potency, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Its highly concentrated state makes it dangerous and can easily lead to overdose and even death. Open distribution could spell disaster, not only for the public but for those involved in response efforts.

 Street names for the drug include Apace, China Girl, China Town, China White, Dance Fever, Goodfellas, Great Bear, He-Man, Poison, and Tango and Cash. For more information about Fentanyl, visit https://www.labconco.com/articles/the-problem-with-fentanyl.

 “It’s a big problem because it’s incredibly concentrated,” Atwood said of the drug. “The scenario for our training involved two guys whose plan was to distribute fentanyl to people at a concert, but in the process of making their product, they contaminated themselves and overdosed, which, with fentanyl, is very easy to do.”

 Often, haz-mat responses are time consuming, according to Atwood who said there is a process that must be followed to protect themselves and the public. 

 “Scene assessments and testing need to be done,” he said. “When a team goes into an environment where there is a potential product or contaminant, they have to be in the correct protective equipment and when they come out, there has to be a decontamination system set up.”

 Thursday’s scene closely resembled those you may have seen on television, with a cordoned off area and dozens of law enforcement personnel, fire fighters, haz-mat crews and others responding to situations that very closely represent real-life scenarios.

 “They go in using detection devices. Pictures and samples are taken for testing and the whole scene has to be secure,” Atwood said. “By controlling the scene, the goal is to limit impact on the community. In this scenario, a simulated victim was found unconscious at the Vendome.”

 Responders treated the victim’s symptoms and his response to the treatment helped to identify the possible product. 

“Police and fire initially searched the building, finding a second deceased victim and a possible lab set up,” said Atwood. “They then removed the victim and isolated the building. Region 3 Haz-mat responded and called for assistance from the 101st Civil Support Team. Haz-mat crew members entered with full encapsulation suits to protect them from contamination by the illicit product.” 

 Depending on the product and the crime scene, other authorities such as Idaho State Police, ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms), and other agencies may also get involved. 

 Atwood said there was a real-life haz-mat response that occurred in Washington County last year. Although it was not as large in scale as Thursday’s training event, it underscored the necessity of training responders on haz-mat response, which could potentially shield an entire community under emergency circumstances.

 Firefighters are required to attend hazardous materials training annually. Atwood was recently contacted by Region 3 Haz-mat Team Leader Duane Birch and 101st Civil Support Team Lt. Col. Robert Grimes, asking if he would be interested in hosting Thursday’s event.

 “Early in my career, I was on the haz-mat team when it was first formed by the State of Idaho,” he said. “They figured we would be interested, so a couple of the guys on the team reached out to us and asked if Weiser would be interested in hosting a drill.”

 From time-to-time, training is needed to refresh skills and improve interagency working relationships. 

 “They get to know each other and know each other’s capabilities … so when they asked, I jumped at the chance to host a scenario and a place to do it. It’s excellent for our own people.” Atwood said. “Haz-mat is a big challenge. It can have dire consequences to victims and responders if they are not trained. 

 “It can affect the population, large groups of people, and it can actually permanently damage the environment. When there is already something going wrong, the hope is to limit the damage and not let it affect anybody else. It takes a lot of specialized equipment and specialized training.”