VIDEO: Dangerous chemicals cross through Tennessee interstates and railways every day, but are East Tennessee first responders prepared for a hazardous material (HAZMAT) disaster? HAZMAT is classified as anything that poses a threat to life, health or property, according to the City of Knoxville.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) claimed over four billion tons of HAZMAT are shipped throughout the United States every year, and a report from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) showed over 73 thousand tons of HAZMAT is transported within Tennessee yearly.
Firefighters and first responders in East Tennessee receive specialized training before entering the force, so they are prepared to tackle potential HAZMAT situations.
“All of our firefighters that are frontline on the road, they’re all hazardous materials technicians. So when they come out of the academy, they are trained to the technician level,” said Mark Wilbanks, Assistant Chief for City of Knoxville Fire Department. “Everybody in the fire department has some understanding of hazardous materials and how to begin to mitigate any incident that we may be dealing with.”
