Wayne, Holmes, Ashland 911 dispatchers receive hazardous materials emergency training

Dan Starcher
·2 min read
Steven Groves of Bad Day Training met with a group of area emergency 911 dispatchers for an in-depth look at the information first responders need to know when they are on the scene of a hazardous materials incident.
Steven Groves of Bad Day Training met with a group of area emergency 911 dispatchers for an in-depth look at the information first responders need to know when they are on the scene of a hazardous materials incident.

A group of 911 dispatchers from the tri-county area received a communication lesson about how to interact with first responders during a hazardous materials incident.

Steven Groves of Bad Day Training presented a training session recently at the Wayne County Emergency Management Agency.

"Hazardous materials are everywhere," Groves said. "In the end, we need (the products) from these materials. We just need to handle them better."

Millions of tons of hazardous materials are manufactured and transported each year for use in products used by consumers, industry, the military and the government, Groves said.

It is typical for dispatchers to field multiple calls during a hazardous materials incident, he said, and they need to extract as much information from callers as they can to help responders understand what they are dealing with.

Getting as much information as possible helps responders to assess the danger

Using a chemical transport truck accident as an example, Groves told dispatchers to dig a little deeper into the conversation by asking callers if they see logos, placards or shapes on any of the vehicles that indicate what type of cargo the trailer is carrying.

"If you can get the caller to describe containers and markings," Groves said. "You can paint a picture to that responder about what they are dealing with."

Even the shape of the tank is important.

Knowing if a tank is rounded on the ends is helpful, Groves said. This will determine if the tank is hauling milk or something that is pressurized and more dangerous, like anhydrous ammonia.

Assistant Dispatch Director Betty Riggs said this type of training is beneficial because it could help save lives.

"Our goal is to ensure that first responders have all the information they need," she said. "Therefore, if the dispatchers communicate what the responders need to know, it helps everyone in the long run. We want to make sure everyone is safe."

Participants at the training were from Wayne County Emergency Management Agency, Wayne County Communications, Wooster-Ashland Regional Council of Governments (WARCOG), Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and Holmes County Emergency Management Agency.

To learn more about the Wayne County Emergency Management Agency, visit wcemaoh.org.

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for the Wayne County government.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wayne, Holmes, Ashland 911 dispatchers get hazardous material training