The 4th edition of Hazardous Materials for First Responders is written for emergency first responders who are mandated by law and/or called upon by necessity to prepare for and respond to hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incidents.

It serves as a primary text for personnel seeking to meet the requirements of NFPA® 472, Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents (2008 edition) for Awareness-Level, Operations-Level, and Mission-Specific competencies.

The purpose of this book is to provide first responders with the information they need to take appropriate initial actions at WMD incidents and hazardous materials spills or releases. Its scope is limited to giving detailed information about initial operations.

Learning objectives are provided at the beginning of each chapter to assist the reader in focusing on the appropriate topic and knowledge and review questions are located at the end of each chapter. Skill sheets are provided at the end of many chapters to provide step-by-step instructions on how to perform crucial skills and activities.

The book is divided into three parts designed to meet the competencies of NFPA® 472. The first three chapters address Awareness-Level competencies. The next four chapters address Operations core competencies. The last seven chapters address Mission-Specific competencies.