Hazmat 1988

I had two things on my agenda today and both played a role in the above video being posted. The first was a visit to Baltimore for the International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference presented by the IAFC. Tim Butters and Chris Hawley were kind enough to extend an invitation for the chance to look around. I also attended an interesting class by Mike Hildebrand and Greg Noll.

From there it was a trip to Channel 9 to start the process of dealing with my own hazmat situation. Much of the rest of the day was spent trying to clean the toxic dump that is my desk in anticipation of my departure in less than two weeks. Should have contracted with Hildebrand and Noll Associates to handle this one.

Somewhere in that pile was a tape that caught my eye because it had the words “hazardous materials” highlighted in yellow. Rather than fight it, I went with the theme of the day and checked it out. It is a story from September 7, 1988. Inspired by a series of hazardous materials incidents on and around the Beltway, a much skinnier me took a quick look at the training being done in the area.

The video includes interviews with the late Warren Isman, who was then chief in Fairfax County, Virginia, and current STATter911.com reader Pat Walsh, who was a lieutenant in Washington, DC.

With luck I will have a few more gems for you before I lose access to the archives.