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Lorain County HazMat team retyped as Type 2, expanding response capabilities
Summary
County Emergency Management Director Dave Freeman introduced Lt. Wes Mariner, who said the HazMat team has been reclassified from Type 3 to Type 2, enabling response to incidents with unknown chemicals, longer on-scene self-sustainment and greater grant eligibility. Commissioners credited ARPA funding for upgrades.
Dave Freeman, director of the Lorain County Emergency Management Agency, introduced Lt. Wes Mariner and announced that the Lorain County Hazardous Materials Team has been reclassified from a Type 3 to a Type 2 team starting in 2026. Mariner said the reclassification reflects added personnel, equipment and training that allow the team to enter incidents involving previously unknown chemicals and sustain operations for up to 12 hours before requiring mutual aid.
"Lorain County Hazmat Team starting in 2026 has been reclassified, retyped as a Type 2 HazMat Team and previously was a Type 3," Mariner said. He described Type 2 capability as including larger teams, additional equipment and fully encapsulating protective suits that enable technicians to identify, mitigate and coordinate remediation for unknown contaminants. Freeman told commissioners that ARPA funds provided by the board paid for equipment and training needed for the upgrade.
Commissioners asked about funding and operational expectations. Freeman said ongoing funding comes from jurisdictional fees apportioned by population and split among hazardous materials, water rescue and technical rescue teams. The board congratulated the HazMat team on the expanded capability and noted the change should increase access to higher-level grants and regional deployments.
