The Shelby County Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Team is a county-wide team made up of firefighters from the Sidney Fire Department (SFD) and county volunteer fire departments. The governing body is a joint venture between the City of Sidney and the Shelby County Commissioners administered by the SFD and the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). The SFD and the EMA share the funding responsibilities for the team.
The Shelby County HazMat Team was verified as a Type II team by the Ohio HazMat TAC on March 31, 2011. In 2023, the state conducted an audit, and we will remain as a Type II team. At this time, there is a 25 member support group with 13 members who are technician certified. The team has 2 vehicles and an equipment trailer to respond to an incident. HazMat I is the support/logistics unit. It contains all data and data processing equipment and serves as a command center. Hazmat II contains:
- Tools
- Containment equipment
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Generators
- Heater units
- Decontamination equipment
- A shower unit
It also tows the equipment trailer that contains PPE, decontamination equipment, tools and containment equipment.
The HazMat vehicles are stored at the EMA building in Sidney, OH, located in close proximity to Interstate 75 (I-75) and 2 major rail lines that crisscross the county. There are many hazardous materials that are transported on I-75 and by rail through the county. Out of the 65 facilities that report hazardous materials to the Shelby County LEPC, 37 of these facilities produce, store, or transport extremely hazardous materials in the county alone. Based on these factors, the potential exists for a hazardous material spill of any size. The Dayton Regional HazMat Team (Type I) is situated approximately 40 miles to the south and the Allen County Regional HazMat Team, also Type I, is located in Lima, OH approximately 39 miles to the north. The location of the Shelby County Type II HazMat Team and equipment is strategically important to the county and advantageous to offer additional support to either Type I Team, as well as surrounding hazmat teams, should the need arise.
The team is available to any department in Shelby County, and is willing to deploy within the region, state and nation through IMAC, EMAC and Ohio Fire Chief's Response Plan.
