The 2010 winner of the Warren E. Isman Educational Grant is the Chautauqua County Hazardous Materials Response Team, an all-volunteer, highly-trained group of fire fighters who respond to hazardous materials incidents throughout Chautauqua county, NY. The group consists of about 70 men and women from county-wide fire departments, and train monthly at a facility in Mayville, NY. The team responds about 40 times a year to fuel and oil spills and incidents involving everything from household chemicals to train derailments and everything in between.
This year, the team attended the IAFC International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference in Baltimore, where the grant was announced and team members were introduced to conference attendees. From what they learned at the conference, team members said that they would return home with new ideas for training, and hoped to bring hazmat trainers of national prominence to the county.
Gratefully acknowledging the receipt of the $5000 award, the team indicated that the funds made it possible for 9 members to attend the conference. The team said in its report to NFPA that "the IAFC conference was vital to our keeping current with today’s challenges. Without attendance at this conference or one equivalent it would be impossible for our volunteer team to keep current with today’s technology and the best practices of our hazmat specialty. We are truly appreciative of being selected to receive the Warren E. Isman Educational Grant."
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