The Associated Press
Park Hills, Mo. (AP) -- As authorities continue to battle methamphetamine throughout Missouri, one fire chief worries that firefighters aren’t adequately trained to dismantle the labs where the illegal drug is made.
“Honestly, I am scared by the situation,” Park Hills Fire Chief Robert St. Gemme told the City Council’s Public Safety Committee earlier this week. “It is serious business.”
Police Chief Bill Holloway said his department is well trained and equipped to handle meth labs. But St. Gemme said firefighters, often the first responders when a meth lab goes awry, have had only minimal training that he believes fails to adequately prepare them for the hazards.
St. Gemme said he was unaware of any advanced training readily available for firefighters.
“A lot of times we are there before the police and don’t know what we are getting into,” St. Gemme said. “It basically scares the hell out of you.”
While there is the hazard of explosions with some types of meth labs, the most common concern is exposure to toxic components used in making the illegal substance. Some can cause serious respiratory problems as well as skin and eye irritation.
“So far as I know, none of our members have breathed any of that stuff,” St. Gemme said. “We hope not, but sometimes the real long-term effects are not discovered right away.”
Council members asked St. Gemme to determine what gear firefighters need, saying they want to make sure both police and firefighters are adequately protected from meth lab hazards.
Detectives Mark Rigel and Mike Kurtz are trained and certified in dealing with meth labs. Until Tuesday, the two detectives were the only Park Hills officers who had protective gear. A program arranged by the Missouri Police Chiefs Association in cooperation with the State Emergency Management Agency is providing an additional 16 sets of gear.
Each set of gear is complete with hood, breathing apparatus, a plastic-like suit, and foot covering. The gear is contained in a case that officers will carry in their patrol cars.
Holloway said each officer will have to go through five hours of training provided by SEMA.
The protective gear is disposable, good for only one use except for the breathing apparatus. It is intended not only for meth lab scenes, but any other biochemical situation the police might encounter.
The city is also considering changes in its housing code to protect people from properties that have been contaminated by operating meth labs. There is growing concern that long-term contamination can create serious health hazards to subsequent occupants of houses, apartments and trailers in which meth has been manufactured.