Special Operations

Many of our Firefighters extend their training and experience beyond their normal firefighting duties by participating on one or more specialty teams. All of these teams require commitment, technical expertise, and training above our normal training expectations.

Hazardous Materials Personnel

Hazardous Materials or "Haz-Mat" has become a growing specialty within the Fire Service. Our Haz-Mat personnel consist of 2 Haz-Mat Specialists, and 3 Haz-Mat Technicians. These personnel are line firefighters who have been trained to their respective level. They all participate on the Stanislaus County Haz-Mat Team and provide technical support on Haz-Mat emergencies within our city.

The Stanislaus County Haz-Mat Team is a regional team consisting of members from departments throughout the county. This team combines personnel and resources from around the area to mitigate hazardous materials incidents that require larger amounts of personnel or expertise. The county Haz-Mat team meets on a monthly basis to train on their equipment and to become familiar with potential hazards throughout the county. The Turlock Fire Department also houses a Mass Decontamination Engine that is used on incidents around the county. The mass decontamination equipment was purchased with funds from a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) grant.

In Turlock all of our firefighters are trained to a first responder level for Haz-Mat emergencies. This means our personnel are able to isolate and deny entry to the scene and attempt to identify what the product is and request the proper resources. In addition all of our personnel go through an annual Haz-Mat refresher training within our department.