Aiken Hazmat

The mission of the Aiken County Hazardous Materials Team is four-fold:

1 - protection of public health and safety

2 - protection of the environment and mitigation of environmental damage

3 - protection of property and assets

4 - safety of all emergency responders

Besides dealing with typical emergency response challenges, the HAZMAT Team intentionally intervenes in chemical, biological, and radiological accidents. A new aspect of emergency response our Team is trained for is WMD or Weapons of Mass Destruction incidents. Specialized skills and equipment of the HazMat Team are needed for responding to this type of incident.

BACKGROUND

Though the Team responds to many types of hazards, the most common is the chemical hazard. Only in recent years has proper emphasis been placed on the serious nature of chemicals and their insidious nature. In the past, emergency responders, especially firefighters, were unknowingly subjected to poisonous materials and were inadequately trained to understand the dangers involved in chemical accidents. Today, fire departments are keenly aware of the dangerous situation posed by chemicals and typically are the ones that decide when the HAZMAT specialists are needed - - - when required, the Team is called in.

In respect with mission items #1 and #4 above, one must consider how chemicals can affect the body. To have an affect the chemical(s) must be either ingested, injected, come in contact with skin, or most typically - be inhaled. It is also an important fact that ALL chemicals are toxic depending on the amount of exposure or dose. Therefore, even the most benign chemicals in moderate exposure can also be deadly in large enough doses. Generally, most attention is given to the extremely toxic chemicals like hydrogen fluoride, nitric acid, acrolein, and mercury for example. However, chlorine gas (stored in large quantities at water treatment and swimming pool facilities), propane, sulfuric acid, and many other chemicals can be deadly and call for unique measures when involved in emergency situations.

It is common to not feel threatened from hazardous substances during our daily activities, but consider the size of the county (1,081 sq. miles) and the number industries, chemical transport vehicles, and major transportation corridors it contains. If these considerations do not change your perspective then examine the D.O.T. placards on the trucks and rail cars the next time your out.

Aiken Hazmat Website