BRUNSWICK – Eight members of the Midcoast Hazardous Materials Team will travel to Alabama on April 11 for extensive weapons of mass destruction training. In an effort to increase their response capabilities in the event of a terrorist attack or any major hazardous materials incident, the state is sending members of hazmat teams to the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston.

The team will train at the Center for Domestic Preparedness, the Department of Homeland Security’s only federally chartered training center.

Four members of the Midcoast Hazmat Team have previously attended courses at the center.

Five will take the hazmat technician class. Three will take the incident command management class, which culminates with participation in an eight-hour real time tabletop exercise using the materials developed in the previous sessions to plan for and command the emergency response resources at the incident site.

Two will return for the incident command management class. The course culminates with a multi-task, hands-on training exercise in the toxic agent training facility. They will have to detect and neutralize real nerve agents in a specially built facility.

The Midcoast Hazmat Team, the Regional Response Team 4, responds in Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln and parts of Androscoggin. It is also asked to assist other agencies in the state. The team usually has a trailer at the Brunswick Fire Department, and that department transports the trailer to an incident scene.


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