Principal Investigator / Institution

Program Description

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) was founded in in 1918 and represents more than 360,000 professional firefighters and emergency medical personnel across the United States and Canada. The IAFF has over 3,500 state and local affiliates who protect more than 85% of the nation’s population. By virtue of the nature of the IAFF as one of the leading fire service organizations in the country, the IAFF has direct access to fire departments throughout the United States and, in turn, fire departments have come to rely on the IAFF for a variety of resources and training.

The IAFF addresses critical issues related to hazardous materials incidents and emergency response through specialized training programs. The IAFF enhances the skills and knowledge of first responders handling and responding to hazardous materials and natural or man-made disasters, ensuring their safety and improving community outcomes. Additionally, the IAFF aims to equip emergency responders with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills to manage hazardous materials and technical rescue emergencies safely; train emergency responders for effective response strategies and tactics during complex emergencies; and address emerging threats and adopt new technologies to keep communities and first responders safe.

As a Pro Board accredited entity, the IAFF is able to provide a pathway for firefighters to receive an internationally recognized certification in hazardous materials and confined space emergency response. Courses can also be customized to address unique threats to a jurisdiction. 

The IAFF targets firefighters and other emergency responders for their training courses. Annually, the IAFF will deliver a minimum of 52 classes and train to at least 1,300 workers, addressing the needs of emergency responders responding to hazardous materials incidents in both urban and rural areas across the United States.

Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program (HWWTP) and HAZMAT Disaster Preparedness Training Program (HDPTP)

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) continues its worker health and safety training program under HDPT to improve first responder safety, address community resilience, and reduce the risk of worker injury or death during hazardous materials incidents and disaster response. The IAFF targets firefighters, emergency medical workers, disaster relief workers, public health workers, and law enforcement under the HDPT program. Over the five-year grant period, the IAFF will deliver 200 classes and train 5,000 first responders. The training programs focus on Hazardous Materials Operations as well as other operational level response courses, including a new course specifically designed to address emergency response to incidents involving renewable energy sources.

Additionally, the IAFF will be launching a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) drone training component under the HDPT program. This is designed to incorporate the latest technologies into our existing catalog of hazardous materials courses, as well as to be a deployable asset in IAFF Disaster Relief Operations to provide workers with an additional resource to perform scene assessments and reconnaissance without placing themselves in danger.

NIEHS/U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Worker Training Program

Under the DOE program, the IAFF trains workers who respond to assist as mutual aid in emergencies within a 150-mile radius of DOE facilities. IAFF training is accessible to various groups, including fire fighters, EMS, emergency management, public health officials, facility managers (labor and management), law enforcement, other emergency response personnel, and local community partners. The IAFF will deliver established, high-quality training programs, including the HazMat Technician, Confined Space Rescue, HazMat Operations, and the cutting-edge Responding to Renewable Energy course, currently in development in conjunction with the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

The IAFF will use a robust network, including GIS software, social media, and partnerships with public and private sectors to reach and engage with workers who are likely to response to a chemical emergency within a 150-mile radius of the DOE facility. The IAFF will also utilize innovative evaluation protocols including Kirkpatrick levels of evaluation to demonstrate training effectiveness, as well as third-party evaluators to gather data and assess the efficacy of training programs, and to ensure that objectives are met and that training is impactful and translates to safer emergency response procedures.

Project Duration

• August 1, 2025 - May 31, 2030 (HWWTP, HDPTP)
• September 1, 2020 - July 31, 2025 (DOE)

Grant Numbers

• U45 ES006167 (HWWTP, HDPTP)
• UH4 ES009759 (DOE)

Other Participating Organizations

• None