Nassau Fire Marshals work with FDNY
By Fire Marshals’ Unit President Joe Whittaker

Fire Marshals Jerry Flower, Jim Siviglia and Greg Smith work with detection equipment.

Nassau County Fire Marshals Hazardous Materials Technicians responded to Randall’s Island in Manhattan recently to train with Fire Department of New York (FDNY) Hazardous Materials Technicians. Nassau Haz-Mat 1 met FDNY Haz-Mat 1 at the FDNY Training Facility. Both Haz-Mat Units operate twenty-four (24) hours seven days a week.

Haz-Mat Division Supervisor Stephen Kluck stated that this training is very important to both units as that each unit can call upon the other in the time of a terrorist attack or similar incident. This training provided an opportunity for members of each Haz-Mat unit to see what equipment each carries on their response trucks. A mutual aid agreement with the City of New York and Nassau County provides highly trained technicians and equipment in the event of an attack, Kluck said.

Nassau Fire Marshal Haz-Mat 1 and FDNY Haz-Mat 1

Industrial Division Supervisor Carey Welt stated that Fire Marshals receive training for responding to reported incidents involving weapons of mass destruction, radiological, chemical and nuclear threats. Fire Marshals attend State and Federal training in actual safe handling of deadly chemicals and radiological devices. Welt also stated that 9/11 has made us more aware of the level of threats that the United States has received, thus we must be ready with highly trained staff and proper equipment for any attack.

Fire Marshal Unit President Joseph Whittaker further stated that this training between the Nassau Fire Marshals Office and FDNY is invaluable as these are the first responders that will rescue and decontaminate victims of an attack and identify, recover and preserve evidence for prosecution for the criminals involved. Whittaker stated that members of each unit worked hands on with the equipment carried on the others truck. “The time to see what equipment is available is now, before an attack,” Whittaker stated.