Choose Your Emergency Response Job Role

First Responder Awareness (FRA)

HAZWOPER first responders at the awareness level are individuals who are likely to witness or discover a hazardous substance release, including lab and warehouse personnel.

Awareness level responders must be trained to initiate an emergency response sequence by notifying the proper authorities. That can mean sounding an alarm, making an announcement over a PA system, calling security, calling 911, or using a radio to contact the hazmat team. Awareness-level responders take no further action beyond notifying the authorities of the release.
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First Responder Operations (FRO)

Operations-level or FRO responders are trained to respond in a defensive fashion without trying to stop the release. FRO employees work to contain the release from a safe distance, keep it from spreading, and prevent hazardous substance exposure.

Examples of defensive response actions include remotely shutting down pumps or ventilation, putting covers on floor or storm drains, or placing absorbent booms to prevent spreading of the hazardous substance.
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Hazardous Materials Technician

Hazardous materials technicians or hazmat techs, also called emergency response technicians, are individuals who respond to releases or potential releases by approaching the point of release to plug, patch, or otherwise stop the release of a hazardous substance.

Because they take aggressive action in areas where the risk of hazardous substance exposure is especially high, employees at the technician level must complete extensive training to develop emergency response competencies like hazard recognition, PPE selection and use, and decontamination practices.
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Hazardous Materials Specialist

Hazardous materials specialists are individuals who respond with and provide support to hazardous materials technicians. Their duties parallel those of the technician; however, they require a more direct and specific knowledge of the substances that could be involved in a release.

For a new specialist, OSHA requires 24 hours of initial training equal to the Hazardous Materials Technician Level. Plus, competency in several additional skills and areas found at [29 CFR 1910.120(q)(6)(iv)].

Lion does not offer training appropriate for Hazardous Materials Specialists.
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Incident Commander

On-scene incident commanders carry overall responsibility for managing the emergency scenario by establishing objectives, planning, strategizing, and implementing tactics.
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