2008 PROGRAM

Welcome - Rick Emery, Conference Chairman
Steven P. Westermann, President, International Association of Fire Chiefs

The Responder Knowledge Base - Donald O. Hewitt, Program Manager, Terrorism Research Center.
This presentation will include an overview and demonstration of the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB). Sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security and the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, the RKB is a free web-based resource designed to provide emergency responders with a trusted, integrated, online source of equipment-related information. With more than 60,000 registered users, the RKB has become the “first stop” for responders seeking information on products, standards, certifications, grants, and other critical information.

National Hazmat Fusion Center - Tonya Schreiber, Executive Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, PHMSA, and Tom Wells. Program Manager, National Hazmat Fusion Center, IAFC.
Representatives from the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the IAFC will discuss the first of its kind National Hazmat Fusion Center. PHMSA and the IAFC entered into a Cooperative Agreement committing over $1 million in federal funding for the creation of a first-ever national central repository for hazardous materials incident reporting over a secure web portal and toll-free telephone system. The center will build a communication network for information sharing and training of first responders responding to hazmat incidents. Through key information sharing, the Hazmat Fusion Center will provide crucial knowledge for decision makers on the transportation and delivery of hazardous materials. The data collected and analyzed through the Center will allow for data-driven effective practices for mitigating hazardous materials incidents and to better prepare and anticipate future incidents.

The John M. Eversole Endowment - Chris Hawley

Haz Mat Before Placards - 35 Years of Emergency Response to Hazardous Materials - Mike Callan