Hazmat Technician

Hazardous Materials Technicians (Hazmat Tech) respond to both emergency and non-emergency calls for service as an employee of the Charles County Department of Emergency Services, Special Operations Division (SOD). Hazardous Materials Technicians are a group of technically trained and skilled personnel whose primary job is to respond to, mitigate, prevent and at times clean-up hazardous materials and or chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons of mass destruction incidents.    As an all-hazards response organization, SOD Hazmat personnel are also expected to enforce the Charles County Hazardous Materials Ordinance; respond to and provide patient care on emergency medical calls for service; serve as directed in emergency management functions as well as perform all other tasks and duties required to maintain a high level of operational proficiency and readiness

• Perform duties in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards of care.
• Respond to hazardous materials incidents including Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and mutual aid calls.
• Analyze a hazardous materials incident to determine the magnitude of the problem in terms of outcomes.
• Survey the hazardous materials incident to identify special containers involved, to identify or classify unknown materials, and to verify the presence and concentrations of hazardous materials through the use of monitoring/metering equipment.
• Collect and interpret hazard and response information from printed resources, computer databases, and monitoring/metering equipment.
• Determine the extent of damaged containers
• Predict the likely behavior of released materials and their container when multiple materials are involved.
• Estimate the size of an endangered area using manuals, computer modeling, or monitoring/metering equipment.
• Plan a response within the capabilities of available personnel, personal protective equipment, and control equipment.
• Identify the response objectives for hazardous materials incidents.
• Identify the potential action options available by response objective.
• Select the personal protective equipment required for a hazardous materials incident.
• Select the appropriate decontamination procedures.
• Develop a plan of action, including safety considerations, consistent with the local emergency response plan and the department’s standard operating procedures.
• Implement the planned response to favorably change the outcomes consistent with safety considerations and the department’s standard operating procedures.
• Perform the duties of an assigned hazardous materials position within the local incident command system (ICS).
• Don, work-in, and doff personal protective clothing, including but not limited to both liquid splash and vapor protective clothing with appropriate respiratory protection. This includes but not limited to levels A, B or C chemical protection and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
• Terminated the incident, assist in the incident debriefing, and critique, and provide reports and documentation of the incident.
• Treats individuals who are ill or injured and individuals in an emotionally distressed state in an appropriate manner and according to BLS guidelines. Performs necessary emergency medical care to ill, injured, or convalescent persons at the site of an incident and en route to the hospital or other destination as prescribed by MIEMSS.
• Stabilizes the condition of the patients and assists in extricating victims from wreckage.   Performs emergency medical and first aid examinations and treatment such as bandaging wounds, control of bleeding, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, insertion of oral and naso-pharyngeal airways and applications of tactical combat casualty care.
• Provides quality patient care utilizing thorough knowledge and appropriate administration of BLS interventions as outlined by state, county and/or local protocols, and completes detailed patient reports.
• Assists ALS providers in direction and assistance to others in general execution of EMS duties; maintenance of apparatus and equipment; and general housekeeping activities.
• Performs required inspections to ensure medical supplies are stocked; equipment and apparatus is clean and operational at all times.  Assures that all documentation required by individual Fire/EMS stations, MIEMSS and the EMS Division is accurate and completed in a timely manner, prior to submission. 
• Participates in post incident analysis with co-workers to point out positive points, assure quality documentation, areas of improvement and to assure adequate skills are maintained.
• Participates in approved continuing education training classes, various meetings, and skills review when necessary.
• Must be able to operate emergency vehicles in accordance with County driving procedures and Emergency Medical Services Division Standard Operating Guidelines. 
• Maintain a strict level of security concerning confidentiality of all information and protected health care information encountered. 
• Reports to work regularly and scenes, on time and dressed appropriately. 
• Assists other emergency service agencies as required/requested.
• Performs other duties as instructed and assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Education and Experience:

High school diploma or equivalent.

Licenses or Certifications:

Must have a current, valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.

Pro Board Certified Fire Fighter I

Maryland Licensed Emergency Medical Technician

Pro Board Certified Hazardous Materials Technician

Highway Emergency Response Specialist (or obtain within 6 months)

Current CPR certification

Emergency Vehicle Operator(EVOC)

ICS 100, 200 and 700

Special Requirements/Qualifications:

Must maintain all licenses and certifications during employment. Subject to criminal records check. Subject to pre-employment physical and periodic physical exams. Volunteer service in Fire & EMS in Charles County may be limited or prohibited during the term of employment. An employee in this class must meet the standards set forth in the Charles County Substance Abuse Policy, when hired, and continue to meet the standards while in this class. Employee will be placed on random drug/alcohol testing list. Employment is contingent upon successfully completing a certified and accredited fire service academy.  After successful completion of the fire service academy the employee will begin their EMS internship.  Internships will be evaluated within the first one hundred and fifty (150) working hours for release to independent operational status, continued internship, or separation as a probationary employee.  Internships will not exceed three hundred (300) working hours or six (6) months, whichever occurs first. Employee must successfully pass a certified PAT exam each year as well as a NFPA 1583 employee physical. Employment is contingent upon successfully completing an EMS internship.   

PLEASE NOTE:  THIS IS A SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITION, AND EMPLOYEES IN THIS POSITION ARE SUBJECT TO RANDOM DRUG AND ALCOHOL SCREENING.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• Knowledge of the Incident Command System (ICS)
• Knowledge of the National Response Plan (NRP)
• Knowledge of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and national standards for WMD preparedness, response and mitigation.
• Knowledge of County Geography.
• Ability to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and work cooperatively in a team environment.
• Ability to demonstrate, lead, perform effectively and think clearly and creatively in high stress environments and during emergency or crisis situations.
• Ability to coordinate with federal, state, regional and local emergency response teams/organizations.
• Ability to effectively communicate information and concepts both verbally and in writing.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Must have normal vision or corrected vision with glasses or contacts; read normal (typewritten) print in English; correctly name and distinguish colors; see well at night or in dim light; see in presence of glare; see low contrast or camouflaged objects; must have normal ability to hear (may be corrected with hearing aid); must have normal ability to discern odors; must be able to lift, pull and push 75 pounds; sit or stand for periods of 30 minutes; walk or run without break for one mile; climb stairs, ladders and scaffold; jump two feet off of equipment; kneel for periods of 15 minutes; bend to pick up or work on an item; carry 75 pounds on ground for 50 yards; must be able to determine if item is hot, cold, or slippery; grasp items; read and understand work orders; work outdoors during inclement weather.   Employee must successfully pass a certified CPAT exam each year as well as a NFPA 1582 employee physical.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The nature of the work involves unpredictable circumstances that may include the threat or actual presence of harm.   A majority of the work is performed indoors or outdoors in emergency situations that may expose the employee to a variety of dangerous conditions, such as hazardous materials, chemicals, smoke or weakened/unstable structures.  Employees are exposed to physically and mentally stressful situations, including trauma, illness, contagious diseases, extreme temperatures and contaminated environments.  Employment involves working in inclement weather, at all hours of the day or night and holidays, to respond to emergency situations and requests for assistance.  

Department/Division: Department of Emergency Services/Emergency Medical Services

Pay Grade: C212

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Telework Eligible: No

Supervises:  None

Salary : $68,789 - $111,438