The Hazardous Materials Division is responsible for coordinating the response capabilities of the city and parish emergency services in the event of an incident involving hazardous materials.

By definition, a hazardous material is any substance in a quantity or form which may be harmful or injurious to humans, domestic animals, wildlife, economic crops, or property when released into the environment.  Many hazardous material substances are manufactured or transported within this parish on a daily basis.  Thus, the importance of maintaining a well equipped, professional, hazardous materials team for the Baton Rouge Fire Department is recognized.

During 2002 the Hazardous Materials Division continued to work closely with the major industrial plants throughout the city of Baton Rouge and the Parish of East Baton Rouge.  This division scheduled plant tours for the responding fire department units located in their districts.  Our educational programs continued, through the school systems in the parish, to distribute and present programs on our informational pamphlet---“CAL–Community Alert System.”  This division also trained or helped train several volunteer departments in hazardous materials response and mitigation and was involved in several drills in industrial facilities and agencies throughout the parish.

Our officers received training in several aspects of hazardous materials response and all nine (9) of our officers, along with the Chief and Assistant Chief of the division are certified by the Louisiana Fire Fighter Certification Program as Hazardous Materials Technicians which meets or exceeds NFPA standards.

This division continued working closely with BRAMAS (Baton Rouge Area Mutual Aid System) an organization made up of industry and various municipal agencies, in conducting the annual Hazardous Materials Training which is usually held in August of the year.  The school was held at the Riverside Centroplex and approximately 250 responders representing two (2) states and 18 parishes were in attendance in 2000.  We are already planning the next training seminar.

  Year 2002 Hazardous Materials Type Calls