The Dallas Fire Rescue Department Hazardous Materials Team has recently been relocated to Station 3, located just east of downtown Dallas near Baylor Medical Center.  Station 3 is a much larger facility than Station 4, which was used for Hazmat since the teams inception.  In addition, the new station has allowed the addition of a paramedic team to the Hazmat response.  Dallas' Hazmat team was first put into service in 1988.   Station 3,  houses HAZMAT 3, Engine 3, Truck 3 and Rescue 3.     HAZMAT 3 serves the City of Dallas, an area of approximately 380 square miles with a population of 1,188,580.  Through automatic assistance and mutual aide agreements, the team provides HAZMAT response to numerous municipalities surrounding Dallas, increasing their response area significantly.

Since 1988, technology upgrades have created the need for a “state of the art” vehicle.  HAZMAT 3, pictured right, was delivered  to the team in 2001.  (note the old "4" that has been replaced with "3")

HazMat 3

In addition to HAZMAT 3, the team also operates with two more apparatus at their disposal.  DECON 1, (below right) a fully stocked decontamination trailer for use by the Dallas Medical Strike Team (DMST) and the DMST Van (below left), which carries pharmaceuticals  for use during WMD emergencies.

DMST Van

Decon 1

PERSONNEL

Dallas Fire Rescue places a great emphasis on maintaining a high standard of training. Staffing is currently at 45 fully trained hazardous materials technicians, certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.  All technicians are initially trained to 80-hours prior to assignment to the team.  Annual refresher training is conducted to maintain skills and competencies.

United States National Response Team
2000 Emergency Response Guidebook
Texas Commission on Fire Protection Home
National Fire Protection Association Online
http://wmdfirstresponders.com/