The Duluth hazardous materials (Hazmat) team is bulking up against terrorism with grants from Homeland Security.
"The Twin Ports is an area with a low probability of biological terrorism, but a high risk," said Marcus Hardin, Hazmat co-captain, "People forget we have an international airport, a railway, the port and an interstate highway; all things that could allow hazardous products to roll through town."
A recent $50,000 grant from Homeland Security will help the Hazmat team deal with these types of hazardous materials in a quick and safe way. Along with training exercises, the Hazmat team purchased a kit that allows them to test for biological agents, like anthrax or small pox.
The state and federal government have rigid standards about how the grant money should be used, and in 2005 they wanted to focus on terrorism.
"Some may think we don't have to worry about that in Duluth, but we've had to test many scenes with suspicious white powder," said Fire Chief John Strongitharm.
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The Bio Field Assay Kit will also allow the team to test for the absence of such agents. Ten other Hazmat teams in the state purchased the assay kit as well.
"Terrorism is not just Osama Bin Laden in all cases. It can be just one person using violence to affect the political process," said Brian Bushey, deputy fire chief.
In addition to terroristic threats, the Duluth Hazmat team wanted to purchase equipment with the grant that they could use during all types of emergencies.
So they used the majority of the grant, $36,000, on a Stand-Off Chemical Detector. The detector works with four remote locations to detect an explosive atmosphere. Whether a car accident, gas-line break or bomb threat, the equipment operates without manpower, preserving safety and money.
In the future, the Hazmat team and fire department would like to use Homeland Security grants to improve inter-functionary communications. They are also in the process of using grant money to update and improve Duluth's emergency plan, which will undergo a critique in August.
Requesting the grants and equipment can be lengthy though, and when asked when Duluth might see the assay kit or the chemical detector, Strongitharm said, "Patience."
But Duluth is seeing some of the products from the Homeland security grants. This week, the Duluth Police Department unveiled a 40-foot mobile command vehicle that will provide them with everything they need for communication and planning during a major emergency or crime. The vehicle will allow the police to directly talk without changing radio frequencies and light up crime scenes at night. It will also allow officers on the ground to watch real-time images from state patrol helicopters. The vehicle cost just over $409,000.
"9/11 opened eyes about having to be able to handle things locally," said Strongitharm. "We can't just put our heads in the sand."
