Fire Chief Samuel Peña Announces The Addition of a Hazardous Material Response Unit

Fire Chief Samuel Peña Announces The Addition of a Hazardous Material Response Unit, Today
This is a Historic Addition to The City's Hazardous Material Response Plan That Has Gone Unchanged Since 1979

WHAT:
HFD places in service HazMat Unit 3 - Traditional ceremony of firefighters pushing the apparatus into the station.
WHEN:
Today, February 6, 2021 at 11 a.m.

All media and elected officials that would like to participate in the traditional ceremony of firefighters pushing the apparatus into the station, please arrive at 10:45 a.m. Masks, social distancing and temperature Checks are required.
WHERE:
Fire Station 66, 5800 Teague Rd, Houston, TX 77041
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The Houston Fire Department will expand its Hazardous Materials Response Teams (HMRT) coverage with the addition of Hazmat Unit 3. This will be the first time a Hazardous Material unit will be housed outside of Hazmat Fire Station 22 (7825 Harrisburg, 77012). Hazmat unit 3 will be housed at Fire Station 66, 5800 Teague Rd, 77041.

“I would like to thank Mayor Sylvester Turner for his vision and support for this operational enhancement," says Fire Chief Sam Peña. "Mayor Turner realizes that our presence as the “Petrochemical Capital of the World” comes with responsibilities. The general fund allocation to this project, under his administration, speaks to his commitment to public safety."

The enhancement includes additional staffing of 16 newly trained Hazardous Material Response Team members consisting of four captains, four engineer operator, and eight firefighters.

“This will reduce the response time to hazardous materials incidents on the north and west side of the City, increase our overall capabilities and provide a greater level of protection for our citizens, ” says HazMat Chief Terry Colburn.

This expansion emerged because of several community-wide hazmat risk assessment reports conducted in January and April of 2020 by HFD’s Hazardous Material Response Team in partnership with the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs. A special thanks to Leonard Chan, HFD Accreditation Manager, for coordinating this project.

A special thanks also to Susan Christian, Director for the Mayor’s office of Special Events, and her team for assisting with funding the new equipment on HM Unit 3. HM Unit 3 will have all of the same capabilities as the current two units, such as, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive detection (CBRNE), research capabilities (tier II, product distribution models, incident management planning, air monitoring, spill/leak control, decontamination and much more.