Grant money to fund hazmat training

TIFFIN — Local agencies have received grant funding for hazmat training. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) announced this week that $800,000 in hazardous materials training grants were awarded to 30 applicants throughout the state of Ohio. Locally, the Seneca County Local Emergency Planning Committee received $20,125 to conduct various hazardous materials training courses for 84 personnel. Seneca County EMA Administrator John Spahr said the money received from PUCO will fund both a hazmat awareness and a hazmat operations course for local first responders. Participants in the classes must either be a volunteer or paid member of a fire department, EMS squad, police department, or other emergency agency to attend the classes, he said. Spahr said hazmat courses help emergency personnel be better prepared for situations they might encounter. In an effort to make the classes "as simple and accessible for as many people as possible," he said, the courses will take place over two weekends, allowing volunteer personnel to more easily participate. Two additional courses, hazmat technician and hazmat safety officer, likely will also be offered in 2025, Spahr said. Funding through the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant Program, he said, has been requested to cover a large percentage of the courses' cost. That funding will be decided in August or September, he said. Spahr said Seneca County is seeking to coordinate with other EMA agencies to offer group training in the future, allowing agencies to share the cost. "We're working on that," he said. In addition, Spahr said, he is in the process of becoming certified to teach classes, to facilitate providing local training. According to a press release from PUCO, the Bellevue Fire Department also was awarded grant money, receiving $12,750 to fund hazmat confined space technician training for 10 personnel.