FY2019 Arlington Fire Department Annual Report FY 2019 | Page 29

Special Operations
The Special Operations Captain oversees the unique training and equipment need of
AFD’s specialized response teams: Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT),
Swift Water Rescue/Dive Team, Technical Rescue Team (TRT), and Gas Well Response
Teams (GWRT). This year, we certified 8 new Pubilc Safety Divers and 7 new Swift
Water Technicians, and participated in the Regional Boat X, a drill directed by the
Council of Governments to prepare Swift Water Rescue Teams in flooding and wide area
searches. AFD’s GWRTs participated in annual gas well training, preparing them for any
gas well emergency. This training was in collaboration with Summit MidStream, Total and
Casey Davis of Interliance Consulting, Inc.
afd Special Operations stations
Captain
ryan shepard
▸Station 1
▸Station 6
▸Station 7
▸Station 8
▸Station 9
▸Station 17
Gas Well Response Team
Hazardous Materials Response Team
Swift Water Rescue/Dive Team
Technical Rescue Team
Gas Well Response Team
Swift Water Rescue
The Arlington Fire Department participates in the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid
System (TIFMAS). TIFMAS mobilizes local resources to respond to statewide
disasters including wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and other hazardous situations.
Our team of thirty Arlington firefighters are credentialed through TIFMAS using
the National Wildfire Coordinating Group training standards. Arlington firefighters
have participated in response to several wildfires across the state and one
hurricane response since becoming involved with TIFMAS.
The Swift Water Rescue and Dive Team provide advanced skills and techniques
for persons trapped in swift or flooding waters, dive rescue and recovery
operations for people and vehicles in creeks, rivers and Lake Arlington. These
team members are trained to the highly advanced and technical Pubic Safety
Diver and Swift Water Technician levels.
The Technical Rescue Team has advanced training and skills for search and
rescue operations in and around a structural collapse, trench, confined spaces,
high/low angle rope access and rescue, and large vehicle extrication situations.
The Gas Well Response Teams are trained as natural gas well response
specialists. They provide skills and techniques like the HMRT, but specialize
only in materials found at a natural gas well site. Their focus is to ensure well
site emergencies are contained on the site itself, and to control releases through
established emergency control devices or by working closely with the well site
operators and contractors for safe well site emergency mitigation.
The Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) is a team of firefighters who
are State certified Hazardous Materials Technicians. They provide advanced
levels of detection, identification, response and mitigation skills for emergencies
involving toxic or hazardous chemicals or materials found in transportation and
industrial accidents, clandestine drug labs, and during Homeland Security threats
or incidents.
29