HMN- Today’s Haz-Matters are from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania where EMS runs this unit from one of its Medic Rescue stations.
City of Pittsburgh Haz Mat 1
In 1977, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Emergency Medical Services created the Rescue Division which includes the city’s HazMat Unit. to enhance the delivery of medically directed technical, tactical and heavy rescue.
Since 1977, the Rescue Division has grown a great deal, here are Rescue 1 and 2 which are 2007 Pierce Arrow XT Heavy Rescue
On June 28 1988, the Allegheny County Commissioners placed into service the first specially equipped Hazardous Materials units for Allegheny County.
The five hazmat units have been placed in strategic locations throughout Allegheny County. The County is divided into five hazmat response areas. The Blue Team (N.E.A.R.A.) services the Northeast and Northwest areas; the Red Team (East Borough Response Organization) services the Eastern areas; the Green Team (Specialized Intervention Team) services the entire Southern area; the Silver Team (North Hills Response Team) services 25 municipalities in the Northeastern Central area just north of the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers. The City of Pittsburgh Gold Team responds to hazmat emergencies within the City of Pittsburgh.
All units from all five hazmat teams are equipped with the latest hazardous materials equipment, each having flash-rated fully encapsulated suits, the latest in monitoring equipment, and communications capabilities. All units are also equipped with UHF, VHF and 800Mhz radios that enable communications to every fire, police and EMS agency in Allegheny County.
The HazMat Response Team was established in 1986 as a joint effort between the Bureau of EMS and the Bureau of Fire. Presently the team is made up of 31 Paramedics, 45 Firefighters and 10 Police Officers. The hazardous materials response team, also known as the “Gold Teamâ€, one of the five teams that comprise the Allegheny County Hazardous Material Response Team.
The “Gold Team†is one of five hazmat teams located throughout Allegheny County. Annually, Rescues 1 and 2 respond to hundreds of potential hazardous material investigation calls throughout the city. The full Haz-Mat team is called upon to respond to several dozen confirmed hazardous material releases annually. Haz-Mat 1 is housed with Rescue 1 and Medic 9 in North Oakland on Millvale Avenue.
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