CHAPTER I: OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL
PART 141 POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL
SECTION 141.344 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FIRST RESPONDER – OPERATIONS
Section 141.344 Hazardous Materials First Responder – Operations
First responders, for the purpose of this level of certification, are fire protection personnel trained to the levels of Awareness and First Responder – Operations as defined in 29 CFR 1910.120. First Responders shall be trained to meet requirements of OSHA (29 CFR 1910.120) or USEPA (40 CFR 311), whichever is appropriate for their jurisdiction. Fire protection personnel at this level of certification are both: persons who are likely to witness or discover a hazardous substance release or potential release and who have been trained to initiate an emergency response sequence by notifying the proper authorities (local, State, federal, or private resources) of the release; and persons who respond to releases or potential releases of hazardous substances as part of the initial response to the site for the purpose of protecting nearby persons, property, or the environment from the effects of the release. They are trained to respond in a defensive fashion without actually trying to stop the release. Their function is to contain the release from a safe distance, keep it from spreading, and prevent exposures. Hazardous Materials First Responder – Operations is designed as the introductory step in the acquisition of knowledge and skills required to safely mitigate a release or potential release of hazardous substances and is defined as meeting the requirement for fire protection personnel under 29 CFR 1910.120. Professional qualifications for Hazardous Materials First Responder – Operations are identified in NFPA 472.
a) Prerequisites
1) Certification as a Firefighter II (see Section 141.300).
2) Successful completion of a Hazardous Materials First Responder – Operations course.
3) Passage of a State practical skills examination (see Sections 141.200 and 141.300(g)).
4) Passage of the State written examination (see Section 141.200).
5) Engagement in firefighting in an organized Illinois fire department as a fire protection person according to the Act, as attested to by the employing Fire Chief of the individual seeking certification.
b) Reimbursement may be received for training costs for a Hazardous Materials First Responder – Operations (see Subpart E).
c) An instructor of a Hazardous Materials First Responder − Operations course must meet the requirements of Section 141.115(c).
d) The course and facility must be approved by the Office as provided in Sections 141.100, 141.110 and 141.115.
e) Credit for equivalent courses may be available in accordance with Section 141.120.