PITTSBURGH (Tuesday, Sept. 16) — Paramedics assigned to the Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS Rescue Division recently completed Hazardous Materials Operations School, officials said.

The weeklong course, held in early September, focused on initial operations at hazardous materials incidents and built upon basic hazmat medicine credentialing already completed by the paramedics.

EMS heavy rescue units respond to all hazmat incidents involving patients, providing medically directed rescue and decontamination.