HazMat Operations

The HazMat Operations course is a three-day, participant-centered, instructor-led training program. HazMat Operations was developed for those fire, rescue, emergency medical service (EMS) personnel and other personnel who may respond to incidents involving hazardous materials (HazMats) and/or weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

Course Goal

Through this course, the IAFF is working to ensure that all emergency responders have the knowledge and skills to safely stabilize and/or mitigate incidents involving HazMats and WMDs in accordance with:

• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response

• NFPA® 1072: Standard on Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents

  • Chapter 4: Competencies for Awareness Level Personnel

  • Chapter 5: Core Competencies for Operations Level Responders

  • Chapter 6: Competencies for Operations Level Responders Assigned to Mission-Specific Responsibilities

    • Section 6.2: Personal Protective Equipment

    • Section 6.6: Product Control

• NFPA® 1072: Standard for Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Emergency Response Personnel, Professional Qualifications

• NFPA® 1971: Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting

• NFPA® 1851: Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting

• NFPA® 1994: Standard on Protective Ensembles for First Responders to Hazardous Materials and CBRN Terrorism Incidents

Course Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to perform the duties of awareness and operations level personnel when responding to HazMat/WMD incidents:

• Analyze the incident to identify the problem and the behavior of HazMat/WMDs and containers present.

• Plan an initial response, develop an incident action plan and communicate that plan in accordance with standard operating procedures/guidelines (SOPs/SOGs) and available equipment and personnel.

• Implement the planned response while observing operations and outcomes.

  • Use PPE at HazMat/WMD incidents.

  • Defensively, control products at HazMat/WMD incidents.

• Evaluate the progress to assess the effectiveness of the actions taken to stabilize the incident, and protect people, property and the environment.

Performance Measures

Participants must demonstrate mastery of the course objectives by completing the post-test, and hands-on skills practice and performance evaluations.

The post-test includes 50 multiple choice items with items requiring the use of hazardous materials references — ERG, NIOSH Pocket Guide, safety data sheets, other locally used references.

Performance evaluation includes mandatory completion of PPE and emergency decontamination evolutions plus three randomly selected product control evolutions.

Certification

Once a participant completes the course, including the performance (skills) evaluation, and scores above 70% on the written exam, they will receive an IAFF certificate with a Pro Board® seal. 

The IAFF will then submit the participant’s name to the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board® registry) for certification at the Awareness, Core Operations, and Mission-Specific PPE and Product Control levels. Pro Board® certification holds:

• Recognition for demonstrating proficiency

• A permanent record of the accomplishment

• Transferability/portability of qualifications, as reciprocity means Pro Board certification will be recognized by fire departments nationwide.