The IAFF has been awarded more than $8 million in federal funding to expand its HazMat response training programs โ the largest grant in the unionโs history. The five-year award comes from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and will bolster the IAFFโs Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program and HazMat Disaster Preparedness training programs. It will also be used to develop new training materials to help modernize the fire service.
โThe longstanding partnership between the IAFF and the NIEHS has been vital to many of the advancements in fire fighter safety and training weโve accomplished,โ said General President Edward Kelly. โThis funding will ensure we continue to provide fire fighters with the training, knowledge, and tools they need to address hazardous materials emergencies and keep themselves and their communities safe.โ
The IAFF and NIEHS have partnered to ensure fire fighters have the capabilities to respond to HazMat emergencies through the unionโs comprehensive training programs. These courses are critical to giving fire fighters the experience and knowledge theyโll need to respond to HazMat emergencies.
Under the previous five-year grant, the IAFF certified nearly 4,000 fire fighters in HazMat emergency response. The additional grant money will allow the IAFF to train an additional 6,500 fire fighters over the next five years. The award will also support the expansion of the IAFFโs new โResponding to Renewable Energy Emergenciesโ program. This comprehensive course, launched earlier this year, gives fire fighters the tools to combat electric vehicle and other types of clean energy fires.
The IAFF is also poised to develop a first-of-its-kind program for implementing drone technology into the fire service. This new program will provide comprehensive training on the optimal use of drone technology, as well as prepare participants for the Federal Aviation Administrationโs remote pilot certification exam.
