Firefighters train for hazmat emergencies - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Firefighters train for hazmat emergencies

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By Jim Wallace - bio | email

ALBANY, GA (WALB) – New standards mean firefighters have to pass more stringent tests for handling hazardous materials before they can become state certified.

Thursday 27 firefighters from several South Georgia departments had to pass tests on correctly putting on and removing hazmat suits.

It's part of new weapons of mass destruction operation training that all firefighters have to pass.

Lifesaving instructions for firefighters. Learning how to identify and handling situations with dangerous chemicals that pass through South Georgia on rails or trucks.

Hazmat Instructor Al Bresley said "Your fire, your police, your EMS, utility companies are the backbone of the community when something happens. And the better trained they are, the less interruption to our daily lives we face as the general public."

The hazmat training and testing will take three days, and the firefighters have to complete it to be eligible for state certification.

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