MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Marines with Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear defense received hazardous materials technician training at the EOD complex aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jan. 24.
Instructors from Bucks County Community College near Philadelphia, came to the air station to better prepare the group of more than 20 Marines should a HAZMAT situation arise.
“This is an intense college-level program,” said James Johnson, an instructor teaching the course. “They have to be 100 percent successful to pass, because with any kind of error, comes the possibility for death.”
The 80-hour class features both classroom instruction and practical application in which Marines can test their understanding of their lessons before testing at the end of the course.
Students go through different levels of the practical applications monitored by instructors. The first run is an initial walk-through to explain props used to simulate the leakage and the situation, and then students go through it again with protective suits on, much like they would wear during a HAZMAT situation. The groups go through a final time with suits and water running through the props to simulate a leak. They have to initially control the leak, then turn the leak off completely to pass the practical application.
Although some Marines taking the course are experienced in the HAZMAT field, others are excited to learn something new and look forward to being of even further use to their installation.
“I’ve never done anything like this before and it’s really helping me out a lot,” said Cpl. Eduardo Cornejo, medical surveillance personnel for the day’s practical application. “This is a part of [firefighting] that we don’t really see too often, but if a situation ever arises, we now have technicians to combat said situation. We’re learning a lot in the classes, but to me the practical application makes everything I’m learning more clear and simple.”
The opportunity for greater successes with three different groups of Marines coming together for these classes is twofold: first, more technicians can potentially pass the course and second, graduates will know each other and feel more comfortable working with each other in the future, explained Cornejo.
“If anyone ever has the opportunity to take part in this training – do it,” said Cornejo.