NYC Transit rolls out new Hazmat vehicle
Mark Groce: I'm Mark Groce and you're listening to an "In the News" podcast on TransitTrax, New York City Transit's podcast service
(NATSOUND: Sirens and horns blaring in the street)
That blaring siren is not coming from a fire truck or an ambulance. But rather New York City Transit's first ever Hazmat truck, put into service recently by the Department of Security to support Transit's 100-member volunteer Hazmat team, headed up by Michael Metz, Security's Manager of Environmental Monitoring and Emergency Response.
Michael Metz, Department of Security: What it'll serve as is the perfect vehicle for us to respond to an incident of significance, we'll call it, if there's an incident in our subway system that requires us to put on levels of protection, something like a chemical weapon release. This will enable us to get to the scene with our personnel, our trained personnel, ready to respond to that incident.
Mark Groce: Metz says Transit's Hazmat team is in place to support the police and fire departments in the event of an incident, and will follow protocols established by the city. Each team member was required to pass a specialized Hazmat physical. They then received extensive training, including the 40-hour hazardous materials technician course, provided by the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Michael Metz: In this case we were able to tailor the course specifically for transit employees. So that we could then respond using Hazmat techniques into our own subway system. That gave them Hazmat technician certification. Beyond that, our team members are all NIMS qualified to a certain level that we've set, NIMS being the National Incident Management System. And we also gather our troops on a quarterly basis to train, and drill, and keep sharp on all the techniques we have to employ in a situation.
Mark Groce: According to Vincent DeMarino, Vice President of Security, team members not only had to prove that they could put on a level three Hazmat protective suit, but prove they could function while inside.
Vincent DeMarino, Department of Security: You have to show the ability to overcome the natural inclination of claustrophobia in that suit. And then, in addition to that, as difficult as it is to just wear the suit, now you have to go into the subway, which is that much harder. Then you may have to get on a train. Then you have to demonstrate to us that under all of those most difficult of conditions, you can operate a train, and again in the unspeakable event that, God forbid, a train was stuck in a tube or in a tunnel and needed to move thousands of passengers out in an emergency. These people from this volunteer group have to demonstrate to us their proficiency in doing that safely and efficiently.
Mark Groce: The Hazmat unit was formed after the fateful events of 9/11. In the years since, the ranks of volunteers has swelled to more than one hundred from all areas of Transit. Michael Temelli is an Assistant Safety Specialist and member of the team.
Michael Temelli, Hazmat Team: We've been very lucky to have, in my short experience, very valuable people across Transit. And that's really, I think, what's made the team a great asset for us, I mean, they've really come through and helped us, they've taught us a lot. They've taught me a lot about Transit, and about trains, and about tunnels and signals and they're all very enthusiastic to respond and exercise and train.
Mark Groce: The Hazardous Materials Response Truck which was manufactured By Ferrara Fire Apparatus of Holden, Louisiana at a cost of $336,000, will carry specialized Hazmat equipment, and up to ten of the highly trained New York City Transit Hazardous Material team members to the scene of an incident. Something New York City Transit President Howard Roberts hopes volunteers never have to do.
Howard Roberts, President NYC Transit: I think it's a real indication of the strength and morale of NYCT that people would volunteer to do something which is potentially inherently very dangerous.
Mark Groce: Security head DeMarino says this truck will enable his team to better protect our customers.
Vincent DeMarino: All of this is to ensure that our passengers know that we are continuing, day after day, to do everything that we possibly can to prevent, alright? Because the best incident is the one that doesn't happen. But God forbid if an event were to happen we're doing everything we possibly can to quickly assess, respond, and react.
Mark Groce: For TransitTrax, I'm Mark Groce. Thanks for listening, and thanks for riding with New York City Transit.
Back to Transittrax Main Page
Mark Groce: I'm Mark Groce and you're listening to an "In the News" podcast on TransitTrax, New York City Transit's podcast service
(NATSOUND: Sirens and horns blaring in the street)
That blaring siren is not coming from a fire truck or an ambulance. But rather New York City Transit's first ever Hazmat truck, put into service recently by the Department of Security to support Transit's 100-member volunteer Hazmat team, headed up by Michael Metz, Security's Manager of Environmental Monitoring and Emergency Response.
Michael Metz, Department of Security: What it'll serve as is the perfect vehicle for us to respond to an incident of significance, we'll call it, if there's an incident in our subway system that requires us to put on levels of protection, something like a chemical weapon release. This will enable us to get to the scene with our personnel, our trained personnel, ready to respond to that incident.
Mark Groce: Metz says Transit's Hazmat team is in place to support the police and fire departments in the event of an incident, and will follow protocols established by the city. Each team member was required to pass a specialized Hazmat physical. They then received extensive training, including the 40-hour hazardous materials technician course, provided by the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Michael Metz: In this case we were able to tailor the course specifically for transit employees. So that we could then respond using Hazmat techniques into our own subway system. That gave them Hazmat technician certification. Beyond that, our team members are all NIMS qualified to a certain level that we've set, NIMS being the National Incident Management System. And we also gather our troops on a quarterly basis to train, and drill, and keep sharp on all the techniques we have to employ in a situation.
Mark Groce: According to Vincent DeMarino, Vice President of Security, team members not only had to prove that they could put on a level three Hazmat protective suit, but prove they could function while inside.
Vincent DeMarino, Department of Security: You have to show the ability to overcome the natural inclination of claustrophobia in that suit. And then, in addition to that, as difficult as it is to just wear the suit, now you have to go into the subway, which is that much harder. Then you may have to get on a train. Then you have to demonstrate to us that under all of those most difficult of conditions, you can operate a train, and again in the unspeakable event that, God forbid, a train was stuck in a tube or in a tunnel and needed to move thousands of passengers out in an emergency. These people from this volunteer group have to demonstrate to us their proficiency in doing that safely and efficiently.
Mark Groce: The Hazmat unit was formed after the fateful events of 9/11. In the years since, the ranks of volunteers has swelled to more than one hundred from all areas of Transit. Michael Temelli is an Assistant Safety Specialist and member of the team.
Michael Temelli, Hazmat Team: We've been very lucky to have, in my short experience, very valuable people across Transit. And that's really, I think, what's made the team a great asset for us, I mean, they've really come through and helped us, they've taught us a lot. They've taught me a lot about Transit, and about trains, and about tunnels and signals and they're all very enthusiastic to respond and exercise and train.
Mark Groce: The Hazardous Materials Response Truck which was manufactured By Ferrara Fire Apparatus of Holden, Louisiana at a cost of $336,000, will carry specialized Hazmat equipment, and up to ten of the highly trained New York City Transit Hazardous Material team members to the scene of an incident. Something New York City Transit President Howard Roberts hopes volunteers never have to do.
Howard Roberts, President NYC Transit: I think it's a real indication of the strength and morale of NYCT that people would volunteer to do something which is potentially inherently very dangerous.
Mark Groce: Security head DeMarino says this truck will enable his team to better protect our customers.
Vincent DeMarino: All of this is to ensure that our passengers know that we are continuing, day after day, to do everything that we possibly can to prevent, alright? Because the best incident is the one that doesn't happen. But God forbid if an event were to happen we're doing everything we possibly can to quickly assess, respond, and react.
Mark Groce: For TransitTrax, I'm Mark Groce. Thanks for listening, and thanks for riding with New York City Transit.
Back to Transittrax Main Page
