Chico fire hazardous materials 'training' response

A look at how Chico Fire hazardous materials specialists train for emergencies that might involve rail cars

Federal proposal currently in the works that would remove long-standing restrictions on the transport of liquified natural gas by rail car - it is a highly flammable and combustiable compound.

The push to allow such transport got me thinkingã what*othe* chemicals*ar* moved by rail... and what happens if something goes wrong - in a populated area?

I put those question to the chico fire department.

((pkg)) the approachãis an unmistakable sound -- most of us simply see a train.

For firefighters trained in hazaround materialsãthey see*what i* scenarios*& like this train wreck in pueblo coloardo& it's a worst case disaster drill for first responders.

And with train cars???

Cg: division chief wes metroka/chico fire department "all you may have is the shape of the care, as to what you're dealing with, then you're looking at the hazard placards, is it flammable, toxic or corrosive" division chief wes metroka spent 15 years as part of the butte county nteragency haz mat team.

He knows chemicals and what they do.

I asked him how dangerous i* liquid natural gas& "your biggest hazard is fire and the ability to burnãit's flammable and that gas is going to go somewhere.

If it's gets trapped into a building, then you have a risk of explosion or burn."

Metroka says he worries about a long-list of emergenciesã not just with lng, but with all kinds of dangerous and potentially deadly compounds transported by train.

And haz mat trainaing means learning to read 'unknowns' - first responders know which chemicals do what and how to respond.

Mobile apps allow teams to look up the chemicalãpunch in the locale and things like wind speed, temperaturesãit calculates response radius and how much time they have to nny azeope fe rehae t italacrs &f pdeinwi sothigxi or corrosive that will harm or kill you, then our thres -prtivp ur ar cg: lia puiopne n ((d t tra s p k a a-iswh rohamaproesons.

&"t a e zeitaã- wepowh wre &d w &wh z t ll mtie &psibli ipd erlm wth 00 y &wld aa ng.

Metroka says the department of do mda rn train.

For firefighters trained in hazaround materialsãthey see*what i* scenarios*& like this train wreck in pueblo coloardo& it's a worst case disaster drill for first responders.

And with train cars???

Cg: division chief wes metroka/chico fire department "all you may have is the shape of thear astoou-dli wh, &h dagus&inara tm.e -kwshecal a as ndofngouily ra-os -trt b in l wnd &p seo -u