Quick Look: First Responders Undergo Hazmat Training

It’s “Super Thursday,” at the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI). We’re there as firefighters take their “final exams” for Hazmat Specialist certification. We take you into the smokey rooms, through the “acid” and into the chlorine leaks, right along with the students. But you have it easy — these trainees got it tough. We talk with Alex Cabassa, Cal OES Assistant Director, and CSTI Superintendent about the uniqueness of the course, its hands-on approach and the facility in which it takes place. We also talk with Jim Tate, CSTI Emergency Management Coordinator Instructor-2. He talks about the training itself and what students learn and how important it is. There is a companion podcast which can be found here.

Under the reorganization of Cal OES, CSTI has evolved into a statewide enterprise with responsibility for supporting training, exercises and education in wide variety of areas including but not limited to; emergency management, public safety, homeland security, hazardous materials, disaster recovery and crisis communications. CSTI is no longer just defined by the San Luis Obispo campus you may be familiar with, but is being developed into a more holistic resource to support your needs whether you are a government, non-profit or private sector organization.
Be sure to visit oesnews.com to listen to the companion podcast and see the many pictures taken during Super Thursday!