The IAFF has been awarded more than $8 million in federal funding to expand its HazMat response training programs – the largest grant in the union’s history.
The five-year award comes from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and will bolster the IAFF’s Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program and HazMat Disaster Preparedness training programs. It will also be used to develop new training materials to help modernize the fire service.
“The longstanding partnership between the IAFF and the NIEHS has been vital to many of the advancements in fire fighter safety and training we’ve accomplished,” said General President Edward Kelly. “This funding will ensure we continue to provide fire fighters with the training, knowledge, and tools they need to address hazardous materials emergencies and keep themselves and their communities safe.”
The IAFF and NIEHS have partnered to ensure fire fighters have the capabilities to respond to HazMat emergencies through the union’s comprehensive training programs. These courses are critical to giving fire fighters the experience and knowledge they’ll need to respond to HazMat emergencies.
This funding will ensure we continue to provide fire fighters the training, knowledge, and tools they need to address hazardous materials emergencies and keep themselves and their communities safe.
General President Edward Kelly
Under the previous five-year grant, the IAFF certified nearly 4,000 fire fighters in HazMat emergency response. The additional grant money will allow the IAFF to train an additional 6,500 fire fighters over the next five years.
The award will also support the expansion of the IAFF’s new “Responding to Renewable Energy Emergencies” program. This comprehensive course, launched earlier this year, gives fire fighters the tools to combat electric vehicle and other types of clean energy fires.
The IAFF is also poised to develop a first-of-its-kind program for implementing drone technology into the fire service. This new program will provide comprehensive training on the optimal use of drone technology, as well as prepare participants for the Federal Aviation Administration’s remote pilot certification exam.
To learn more about the IAFF’s HazMat training programs or request a training, visit iaff.org/HazMat-training.
