MONTGOMERY COUNTY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TEAM  

This page will describe the role of the hazardous materials team and include a list of equipment the team has acquired.   

What is a hazardous material?  The answer depends on which definition you use:    

"US Department of Transportation: any substance or material in any form or quantity which poses an unreasonable risk to safety, health and property when transported in commerce."

"Gerton: any element , compound or combination thereof, which is flammmable, corrosive, detonable, toxic, radioactive, an oxidizer, an etiologic agent or highly reactive, and which, because of handling, storage, processing or packaging, may have detrimental effects upon operating and emergency personnel, the public, equipment and/or the environment."

and this one is my favorite...

"Benner: something that jumps out of its container at you when something goes wrong and hurts or harms the thing it touches."

The hazards that we are presented with include:

Flammability: the capability of the material to easily ignite and burn with extreme rapidity.

Toxicity: materials that even on short exposure can cause or lead to injury and/or death even though prompt medical attention may be available and given.

Reactivity: material that are readily capable of detonation or explosion at normal temperatures.

check back later for more.....

Some of this information has been taken from the Hazardous Materials Technician Workbook provided by the Department of State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, State of New York.

Thanks to my friend, SHARP-ONE, INC, who assisted me with the  animations.

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