Training Will Help Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Safely Crack Down on Dangerous Meth Labs
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) fought to secure a methamphetamine lab awareness training for local law enforcement at the National Counterdrug Training Center (NCTC) in Fort Indiantown Gap.
The volatile chemicals used to produce meth make busting labs perilous for law enforcement. As the number of meth labs uncovered in Pennsylvania continues to rise, an urgent need exists to prepare local officials for the unique dangers these labs pose.
“To combat meth labs and the corrosive effects they have on our communities, law enforcement officials put their own safety at risk and need to be prepared for the array of dangers the labs present,” said Senator Casey. “I am gratified that the skilled Guardsmen and women at the NCTC will host and help facilitate this training to help local law enforcement, emergency management officials and firefighters gain the skills they need to take these dangerous labs out of our communities.”
A report prepared last spring at the request of Senator Casey by the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown identified meth as a rising problem and a unique and costly challenge for Pennsylvania law enforcement and local officials. Senator Casey helped identify a meth lab training program offered by the Environmental Protection Agency for state and local entities and connected the EPA with the NCTC to make the training happen.
The 2011 NDIC National Drug Threat Assessment noted that abuse of meth is increasing, particularly among young people. The report also documented an increase in small-scale domestic meth production, which has proved hazardous to law enforcement across Pennsylvania. Small-scale production can create long-lasting contamination issues and incur enormous cleanup costs.
As part of the training, first responders at the awareness level are trained to recognize meth labs and clandestine methamphetamine hazardous waste abandonment sites, isolate the area immediately involved, and make appropriate notifications to ensure an efficient and effective response.
First responders at the operations level are trained to respond to incidents in a defensive fashion within existing resources and capabilities to contain releases from a safe distance, to keep releases from spreading, and to prevent exposures to nearby persons, property, or environment.
###
