Response Teams

Hazardous Materials

The emergency response trucks are equipped with the latest HAZMAT equipment, each having encapsulated suits, the latest in monitoring equipment, and communications capabilities. The units are equipped with fire frequency radios that enable communications to every fire department in Allegheny County.

All hazardous materials teams are dispatched through the Emergency Management Division and NG 9-1-1 (next generation 9-1-1) Centers. Teams are fully certified by Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

HAZMAT Team Application

If you are interested in joining the Allegheny County Hazardous Materials Team (Companies 420, 430, 440, or 450), please fill out the HMRT Application(PDF, 378KB).

Team 410 is not volunteer, and membership is open only to members of the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety (EMS, Fire, and Police bureaus).

To be a part of the Allegheny County HMRT Hazardous Materials Medical Response Team, please also submit a HMMR Team Application Addendum(PDF, 421KB) in addition to the HMRT Application.

HAZMAT Units Response Areas

HAZMAT Units Response Areas Map

Team 410 serves the City of Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Hazardous Materials Team responds to incidents throughout the city from stations located in Shadyside, Manchester, and Downtown, and may also respond to any other section of Allegheny County upon request of Emergency Management.

Company 420 serves the Northeast and Northwest areas of the county. The HAZMAT vehicle is housed at the Highland Hose Fire Department Station #280.

Company 430 serves the North Hills section of the county. The HAZMAT vehicle is housed at the Allegheny County Fire Academy, North Park.

Company 440 serves the eastern area of the county. The HAZMAT vehicle is housed at the Forest Hills Volunteer Fire Department.

Company 450 serves the South Hills area of the county. The HAZMAT vehicles are housed at the Whitehall and Broughton Volunteer Fire Departments.

Station 480 is the HAZMAT Medical Response (HMMR) Team and provides medical specialists for the Hazardous Materials Team and Swiftwater/Flood Response Teams.

Swiftwater and Floods

Allegheny County Swiftwater/Flood Response Team (ACSWFRT), Station 490, provides water rescue for the county, and surrounding counties by request. All technicians are trained to NFPA 1670 Technician Level, and the team is made up of water rescue technicians from eight departments within the county.

ACSWFRT is part of Pennsylvania Region 13 Homeland Security Task Force, a hazards task force.

Members

Training Courses

All members of the Swiftwater/Flood Response Team are trained in the following classes that are part of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Water Rescue Program.

Class Level Length
Water Rescue for the First Responder 1670 - Awareness Level 2 - 2.5 hours
Water Rescue & Emergency Response 1670 - Operations Level 16 hours
Emergency Boat Operation & Rescue 1670 - Technician Level 16 hours
Ice Rescue & Emergency Response 1670 - Technician Level 12-16 hours
Advanced Line Systems Rescue 1670 - Technician Level 16 hours

Animal Rescue and Evacuation

Local Level

Allegheny County animal response calls are handled by the Westmoreland County Animal Response Team (CART). If you have a domestic animal emergency, please call 911 to ask for the CART to be deployed.

  • For all wildlife issues or inquiries, contact the PA Game Commission
  • To report animal cruelty: Animal Friends 412-847-7066
  • To report a stray dog: 412-418-2163

State Level

The Pennsylvania Animal Response Team (PART) is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization whose mission is to respond to natural disasters, motor vehicle accidents in which animals may be injured or are displaced on roads, house and barn fires, animal cruelty at the request of law enforcement and any other emergencies at the request of 911 that require evacuations of animals in unsafe conditions.

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