156-A - Establishment of a specialized hazardous materials emergency response training program. - New York Statutes

§ 156-a. Establishment of a specialized hazardous materials emergency response training program. 1. The state fire administrator shall, in his or her discretion, consult with the fire fighting and code enforcement personnel standards and education commission established pursuant to section one hundred fifty-nine-a of this article, to establish a specialized hazardous materials emergency response training program for individuals responsible for providing emergency response recovery following incidents involving hazardous materials as defined in accordance with section fourteen-f of the transportation law. The state fire administrator shall inform all fire companies, municipal corporations and districts, including agencies and departments thereof and all firefighters, both paid and volunteer, and related officers and employees and police officers of the implementation and availability of the hazardous materials emergency response training program and shall, subject to the availability of an appropriation, conduct such training with sufficient frequency to assure adequate response to incidents involving hazardous materials and protection of responders in all geographic areas of the state. 2. The state fire administrator, in consultation with the aforementioned commission shall prescribe the curriculum of the hazardous materials emergency response training program, which shall include, but shall not be limited to: (a) hands-on training, including information in regard to leak and spill control, product neutralization, pickup and disposal, fire control, decontamination procedures and use and application of foam agents; (b) hazard assessment with emphasis on incident scene decision-making, including: potential threat to public safety and need for evacuation, calculation of the effect of weather on certain chemicals and evaluation of the result of chemical exposures to air, water, soil, vegetation, lives and property and impact on the personal safety of those working in the accident area; (c) calibration and use of emergency equipment; (d) chemical and biological properties of various classes of chemicals, for example, flammables, oxidizers, corrosives, poisons; and (e) weapons of mass destruction and response to terrorism. 3. The state fire administrator is hereby directed to issue a report to the governor, speaker of the assembly, temporary president of the senate, chairman of the assembly transportation committee and the chairman of the senate transportation committee by April first of each year on the operations of the program set forth in this section. 4. The state fire administrator shall promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.