A fire fighter s ability to recognize an incident involving hazardous materials or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is critical. They must possess the knowledge required to identify the presence of hazardous materials and WMD, and have an understanding of what their role is within the response plan. Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations will provide fire fighters and first responders with these skills and enable them to keep themselves and others safe while mitigating these potentially deadly incidents. Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations meets and exceeds the requirements for Fire Fighter I and II certification and satisfies the core competencies for operations level responders including the eight mission-specific responsibilities for first responders within the 2008 Edition of NFPA 472, Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents. Additionally, the material presented also exceeds the hazardous materials response requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations provides in-depth coverage of: The properties and effects of hazardous materials and WMDs; How to calculate potential danger and initiate a response plan; Selection, use, advantages, and disadvantages of personal protective equipment; Mass and technical decontamination; Evidence preservation and sampling; Product control; Victim rescue and recovery; Air monitoring and sampling; Illicit laboratory incidents