The Medina County All Hazards Team is a specialized response team that provides county wide hazmat and technical rescue response to various emergencies and disasters. The team is composed of fire, EMS, and law enforcement personnel from different agencies across the county, who are trained and equipped to handle complex and hazardous situations. Funding is provided by a per capita cost allocation to all Medina County communities.
Mission
The mission of the Medina County All Hazards Team is to protect life, property, and the environment from the effects of hazardous materials and technical rescue incidents. The team strives to provide professional, efficient, and effective response to any incident that requires their specialized skills and equipment.
Capabilities
Rope Rescue: The team can perform high-angle and low-angle rescue operations using ropes, pulleys, harnesses, and other devices. The team can access and extricate victims from difficult or elevated locations, such as cliffs, towers, bridges, or buildings.
Confined Space Rescue: The team can enter and operate in confined spaces that have limited or restricted access and pose a risk of entrapment, engulfment, or hazardous atmosphere. The team can rescue victims from tanks, silos, sewers, tunnels, pipes, or wells.
Trench Rescue: The team can stabilize and shore up trench walls that have collapsed or are at risk of collapsing. The team can rescue victims who are trapped or buried in trenches or excavations.
Hazmat (Type II): The team can identify, contain, control, and mitigate hazardous materials incidents involving flammable, corrosive, toxic, or radioactive substances. The team can operate in various levels of personal protective equipment (PPE), including fully encapsulated suits.
Water Rescue: The team can perform surface water rescue operations using boats, ropes, flotation devices, and other tools. The team can rescue victims who are stranded or submerged in lakes, rivers, ponds, or floods.
Structural Collapse: The team can stabilize and breach collapsed structures using shoring systems, saws, jacks, airbags, and other tools. The team can rescue victims who are trapped or injured in buildings or structures that have collapsed due to fire, explosion, earthquake, or other causes.
Fire Investigation: The team can determine the origin and cause of fires using scientific methods and evidence collection techniques.
Membership
The Medina County All Hazards Team is administered by the Medina County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) with the support of the Medina County Fire Chiefs Association (MCFCA) and the Medina County Police Chiefs Association (MCPCA). The team personnel come from fire/EMS/law enforcement agencies across the county.
The team members are selected based on their qualifications, experience, availability, and commitment. They undergo rigorous training and certification in their respective disciplines. The team members are required to attend regular trainings to maintain their skills and readiness.
