The Regional Haz-Mat Response Team:

The Eureka Fire Department's Regional Haz-Mat Response Team (HMRT) is a Type I (Level A) team serving all of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties in Northwestern California. This region of 4690 square miles, much of it rural and mountainous, is home to 156,000 people, Redwood forests, rugged coastline, and numerous rivers and streams.

The HMRT, operational since March 1995, is made up of 12 CSTI Certified Hazardous Materials Specialists from the Eureka Fire Department. The HMRT is managed and maintained by the Eureka Fire Department, and is funded through grants and a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA). The HMRT has received almost $80,000 in training grants and almost $125,000 in equipment grants through the RAPID (Railroad Accident Prevention and Immediate Deployment) program administered through the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. This money has funded all of the initial training as well as the purchase of a response vehicle and a compliment of basic equipment. The vehicle, a used beverage truck, was fabricated and painted by a Sonoma County Correctional facility to include an office in the back for technical reference work. The investment in the vehicle alone in turnkey condition, is just under $30,000.

While the City of Eureka pays the wages and benefits of HMRT personnel-each of whom is a firefighter-all other operating expenses are funded through the JPA. The JPA, made up of seven incorporated cities and two county governments, pay proportionately into this annual budget. Local government's proportionate share is presently based on their percent per capita in the two-county region. This will drop following fiscal 97/98 when industry will begin funding 50% of the program.

The HMRT has a good working relationship with all local agencies, the most important of which Humboldt County Department of Environmental Health.

Finally, the 1996-97 Humboldt County Grand Jury, which in its final report discussed the HMRT at length, commended both the Eureka Fire Department and the City of Eureka for the establishment, support and maintainence of the HMRT, stating that the "Team's benefits extend far beyond the City's limits to all citizens of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties".

For assistance with immediate threats to lives or property from Hazardous Materials in your community, dial 911.

In Humboldt County, routine questions regarding environmental hazards should be directed to the Department of Environmental Health Hazardous Materials Unit at (707) 445-8215.