Marion County Fire Rescues Hazardous Materials Response Team consists of 40 highly trained State Certified Hazardous Materials Technicians. To become State Certified each member has completed 160 hours of training covering chemistry, air monitoring, spill and leak control, tank and container identification, product identification, personal protective equipment and incident command. Most of our members were trained at the Florida State Fire College over a 4 week period and then successfully passed a certification exam issued by the State Bureau of Standards and Training. 

 After testing for and getting assigned to the team each member has to complete the following continuing education classes.                                                                                       

WMD Hazmat Technician 32 hours at Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston Alabama.

WMD Incident Commander 24 hours at Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston Alabama.

Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings 32 hours at the Energetic Materials and Research Center in Soccoro New Mexico.

Radiological / Nuclear Course for Hazmat Technicians 32 hours at the Nevada Test Site in Bechtel Nevada.  

Sampling Techniques and Guidelines Technician Level 24 hours from LSU.

Response to Domestic Biological Incidents 24 hours from LSU.

CameoFM Plume Plotting 24 hours.

Air Monitoring for Hazmat Technicians 24 hours.