Johnson County - IA Region IX HazMat Team

📣📣 Okay folks....you spoke and we listened. With COVID restrictions no longer in place, we have made the last minute decision to open up an ADDITIONAL 50 SEATS for the return of in-person instruction after a two year COVID absence.

No plans tonight...how about learning about severe weather during Severe Weather Week 2022 and becoming a Certified Storm Spotter?!?! ✔️

Please register for your ticket here 👇

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/storm-spotter-training-tickets-241321337617

Rest Easy, Don.

The whole team wishes Paul Millice all the best. Paul’s retirement marks over 30 years of service to the HAZMAT team. What a milestone!!! Thank you, Paul!!!

Happy Thanksgiving from our HAZMAT family, to your family! 🦃

And for the record, some of us also love cranberry sauce, hazardous or not. 🤣

Congrats to HAZMAT Team member Jiras!

Deputy Presented With Life Saving Award

On April 16, 2021 at 5:29 A.M. Deputy Austin Jiras responded to 1824 Racine Ave NE, Solon for a report of three individuals who were overcome by carbon monoxide poisoning. When Deputy Jiras arrived and attempted to enter the home he was met with a powerful odor of natural gas. Recognizing the dangerous environment inside the home, he returned to his squad car and donned an air pack. Deputy Jiras, who is also a member of the Williamsburg Volunteer Fire Department, is trained to wear an air pack and keeps a spare pack in his patrol car.

Deputy Jiras entered the home where he first assisted the male caller outside. He then returned inside where he located an incoherent female in the living room and assisted her outside. By this time Solon Fire Department had arrived and Deputy Jiras and Solon Fire Fighters reentered the home and removed an unconscious female from the third floor.

All three of the victims were transported to the hospital and have fully recovered. There is no doubt that Deputy Jiras’ readiness, quick actions and remarkable courage were instrumental in saving the lives of these citizens.

L-R, Captain Hendricks, Sheriff Kunkel, Deputy Jiras, Major Lamm

🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸

Please join us in welcoming newest HAZMAT Team member, Spencer Culver! Spencer is a Lieutenant and Training Officer for City of Coralville Fire Department and will make a great addition to our HAZMAT roster.

Hazmat Release – Morris, IL

Current Situation: At 3:00 p.m. ET on June 29, an industrial fire was reported at an old paper mill factory in Morris, IL (pop. 15k) (USNG: 16T CL 81966 79967). Fire officials reports that 180k to 200k lbs. of lithium batteries are burning, and due to the nature, are going to let it burn out on its own. Water or foam cannot be used to suppress so the process is expected to be to fully extinguish
today. The batteries involved in the fire range from cell phone batteries to commercial size car batteries. Police evacuated the immediate area.
Lifeline Impacts:

Safety & Security:
▪ Evacuations: 1,000 homes
▪ 1 shelter / 7 occupants (ARC Midnight Shelter Count as of 7:00 a.m. ET, June 30)

Hazardous Material:
▪ 180k-200k lbs of lithium batteries burning; HAZMAT teams on scene
o May cause release of hydrogen fluoride
o Concentrations of this gas could lead to respiratory symptoms and/or heart/lung disease
o In a potential worst-case scenario, there could be hazardous concentrations within several
hundred meters of the facility
State / Local Response:
▪ IL EOC at Full Activation (COVID-19)
▪ Governor has deployed the IL NG to Morris, IL (RV Incident Report as of 7:15 p.m. ET)
▪ State of IL requested and IMAAC activation through FEMA Region V
FEMA/Federal Response:
▪ Region V RWC is in contact with the IL FEMA FIT and IL EOC
▪ IMAAC activated; DTRA is providing plume modeling
▪ NWC and Region V RWC will continue to monitor

Another successful training this morning. Today’s training was identifying an unknown substance.

Iowa City Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 610

Another great training today provided by Federal Resources and sponsored by the Iowa HAZMAT Task Force.

Iowa City Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 610

This morning at 10:22 AM, HAZMAT was paged out to assist investigate an unknown white substance that was dumped off of I-80 in Cedar County (a portion of Cedar County is covered by our team). The substance tested as a food based product and poses no harm to the public. Thanks to Wilton Fire Department Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Joint Emergency Communications Center for the response assist today.

Iowa City Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 610
Johnson County Emergency Management Agency

It's National Poison Prevention Week!

You can help by doing your part at home. Lock up and/or safely secure your cleaners at home. This will help protect others, especially little ones, by preventing an accidental poisoning.

Thank you to Dr. Jon Humston with Mount Mercy University for providing a Chemistry Basics Overview course to our team members today.

This morning JCHMRT was paged out for a call at 0559. Upon arrival of a single vehicle accident, team members confirmed three different chemicals that were leaking. All chemicals were contained and/or neutralized and there is NO contamination threat to the public due to quick responses by Tiffin Fire Department, Iowa and HAZMAT 1.

A FedEx contracted clean up crew will be on scene for the removal and restoration of the soil and debris.

Thanks to our great partners!

Iowa City Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 610 Iowa State Patrol Iowa Department of Transportation Solon Fire Department Joint Emergency Communications Center

(((The driver suffered no injuries - however we did have a secondary crash occur - please remember to )))

Thank you!!!

Iowa City Police Department Coralville Police Department North Liberty Police Department University of Iowa Police Johnson County Conservation Rangers, Johnson County Sheriff's Office Iowa State Patrol

JECC and EMA thanks you all for your dedicated service! We appreciate all that you do to keep Johnson County citizens, students and it’s visitors safe!

Joint Emergency Communications Center

Summary of most recent COVID 19 Gov. mandates. Mask up and help flatten our peak please.

We mask up for our safety. You can do the same just by putting on a simple cloth mask. Please join us in masking up to protect those around you. 😷

HAZMAT 1 is based out of ICFD station 2 and this beautiful piece of apparatus below will be its new bay neighbor. This is ICFD’s new Engine 2 which introduces a brand new color scheme/design for their fleet. We love it...how about you???

🔥 Fire Prevention Week 🔥

CalDetails

Along with ICFD and HSEMD - HAZMAT Task Force, we are hosting a Propane IQ class that still has seats available.

https://www.homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/training/CalDetails.aspx?EventID=1086&CourseID=334

CalDetails

🇺🇸 Happy Labor Day 2020 🇺🇸

BREAKING: Massive chemical leak in lake Charles flowing over I 10 extremely dangerous situation!

Linn County to sound sirens for 40 mph winds during storms in coming days

Linn County to sound sirens for 40 mph winds during storms in coming days Linn County Emergency Management will activate outdoor warning sirens for lower criteria than normal due to recent storm damage and debris.

Household hazardous materials facility re-opens Thursday, May 21

The Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center's household hazardous materials facility will open to residential customers on Thursday, May 21, 2020.

Residents no longer need to make appointments to drop off materials. Please visit the City's website for more information. Businesses must call for an appointment.

The household hazardous materials facility will be open Thursday and Friday this week, but closed along with the entire Landfill Saturday, May 16, 2020. It will then return to its normal hours and days of operation, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, starting May 28.

The Landfill office will remain closed to customers. The hazardous material Swap Shop will be closed until further notice.

The Landfill is located at 3900 Hebl Avenue SW in Iowa City. Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Landfill will be closed on Saturday, May 23, 2020, and Monday, May 25, 2020. Normal Saturday hours (7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) will resume May 30, 2020.

What to know before visiting the Landfill
• Have items upright in a box easily accessible by Landfill staff (truck, back of van, passenger seat, etc.)
• When you arrive at the Landfill, turn into Lane #1 and pull up under the overhang when it’s your turn.
• Remain in your vehicle. Staff will ask where the items are and will remove them.
• Small businesses require an appointment. Learn more at our website.
Staff anticipates high traffic volume the first few weeks of being reopened to the general public after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please plan on a long line for services.

The Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center, by State law, serves Johnson County and the residents of Kalona and Riverside. Other residents and businesses must utilize the landfill in their county. For information on your service area outside of Johnson County, please visit the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' website. Customers from other service areas, by State law, will be turned away.

Thank you P&G!

Thank you, Dispatchers! We appreciate you!

Today kicks off National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week 2020. Thank you to the Joint Emergency Communications Center staff for all that you do!!!

Photos from Johnson County Emergency Management Agency's post

HM1 is currently enroute to I-80 @ the 272 in Cedar County. Slow down and give our responders room to work.