FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. — The Fayette County Hazardous Materials Team has a new tool to help keep first responders and the public safe.
With help from the county commissioners, the hazmat team has acquired an Xplor IR Meter, a handheld gas device used to detect and identify hazardous vapors.
“Fayette County is home to several facilities that utilize extremely hazardous materials, such as chlorine and ammonia,” said Roy Shipley, director of the Fayette County Emergency Management Agency. “In the event of an emergency situation at one of these facilities, with the incorporation of this meter, our hazardous materials team members will be able to determine the type of chemical, or chemicals, that are in the air, as well as the quantities of said chemical(s). We can determine what materials we are faced with in a matter of minutes.”
Purchased through a Local Share Account grant, the Xplor IR Meter can collect air samples and identify the chemical makeup using infrared technology.
“It’s important to make sure our first responders are properly equipped and trained,” said Commission Chair Scott Dunn. “To that end, getting this grant for these air quality meters will help our hazmat crews determine threats to public health very quickly. I want to thank Sen. Stefano and Rep. Warner for advocating on our behalf. I also want to thank my friend Dick Oglevee, who first brought this to my attention. Without his knowledge and perseverance, this would not have been possible.”
Members of the hazmat team attended a training course July 2 at the Fayette County EMA Annex in Lemont Furnace.
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