Year in Review: NVFC Hazmat PIT Crew Program

January 30, 2024

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, launched a new hazmat train-the-trainer program, Partners in Training (PIT) Crew, in early 2023. This program provided in-person courses to hundreds of first responders across the country in its first year.

The PIT Crew program helps first responders gain the knowledge and skills they need to train others in their departments and communities on hazmat safety and response. In 2023, over 200 firefighters, EMS providers, hazmat response technicians, and other stakeholders participated in courses in Clearwater, FL; Fulton, KY; Owensboro, KY; Potosi, MO; Hamilton Township, NJ; Orangeburg, SC; McAllen, TX; and Pearisburg, VA. Courses offered included teaching hazmat on a budget; separate courses on instructor training for flammable gases, flammable liquids, chlorine, ammonia, and methanol; risk-based hazmat training; and more.

Although PIT Crew courses are classroom-based, many include hands-on training components and tabletop exercises that can be replicated at little or no cost to departments. Courses last three to seven hours, and all attendees receive an Emergency Response Guide, instructor slides, and a thumb drive with dozens of resources from various government and private entities to help guide hazmat training.

The NVFC will provide at least eight more in-person training opportunities across the U.S. this year. Experienced hazmat trainers and those new to the field are welcome to participate. Trainings are currently planned for February through September in CA, KY, MO, NH, NV, NY, TX, WA, and WV. Visit www.nvfc.org/hazmat to view the full schedule and register. All courses are offered free of charge.

Learn more about the PIT Crew program at www.nvfc.org/hazmat. Questions? Contact Rachel Buczynski, NVFC chief of training and education, at rachel@nvfc.org or 202-887-5700.