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Meth Labs
With some states making huge strides in the combating of Meth Labs, the meth cookers are moving to other states to seek refuge from the law. Meth labs are extremely easy to build, and even easier to hide. Does your department have ANY training on what to look out for, or do if you happen upon a Meth Lab? Do they understand they can potentially allow a Meth Lab operator(s) off the hook by taking the wrong steps when finding one? Does the DEA hold classes (free) in your area to show you what to look for and what to do?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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One of the first scenarios that our hazmat tech team did was meth lab.
County and state routinely stop by and update us on meth info.
If it's beyond our scope, the state boys are well versed in it, so they would get the call.
On those calls, we let the cops call the shots. It's about the only time that they get to do that.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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The DEA told us that we are to Isolate the area, and call them for Meth Labs. They have Clan teams in the area who will come and dissect every aspect of evidence, and have the Haz Mat Team on standby. If it's on fire obviously we are going to do our job and get it out, but we were told to not touch anything, thats what the DEA was for. The DEA sponsered a Clan Lab class for us, was an AMAZING 8 hours full of info I would have never known.
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Permalink Reply by ILDisasterEMT on
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Here in Illinois, meth is a big problem. So big a problem that some fire departments have started specialized HazMat teams who only deal with meth, the labs and chemicals. As an EMT, Ive been in buildings where gas masks or respirators have had to be used because the apartment building was nothing but one big lab. I also know that its a huge problem in New Mexico where I live for some time and they are getting very serious about it. Im trained to "awareness level" which is basically "Oh crap! Thats meth. Lets go back outside and call HazMat." God bless the glow worms!
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Wonderful, a rolling bomb and toxic cloud. Just what every firefighter needs lol. They sure are creative
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Here in Illinois, they are literally going under ground.
You have to look for the vent pipe!
And some are using semi trailers and kinda move from location to location.
Mobile, you know?
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Siren, we are fortunate in New England to not have a major Meth Problem yet. Accourding to the DEA we (as in all New England States) have had an average of about 10 labs per year. It is in states like Washington, Oregon, and the midwest it seemed prominant. With states getting tougher on it (Like California who went from 4000 labs a year to about 400 a year) it progresses to more lax areas. I can definately see mobile homes, RV's Vans, and car's being a major issue. If it moves it is harder to detect.
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Permalink Reply by ann on
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Her in kentucky we are starting to see the meth labs..problem is not enough firefighters have the training to reconizes a meth lab...And they get hurt....They r setting them up in these crappy neighborhoods and we walk right in and get slapped in the face..A couple of co.over not confirmed yet but ..But the guys know what it was...Anyway it blew up sent 5 firefighters to hospital...There tricky little poeple around here..They put the trash in dumpsters...Miles away from where there making it....And once agian we have no training in meth.. I could go on for ever but will leave it at this
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Permalink Reply by Josh Marshall on
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Actually here in Kentucky just last week a Fire Department in Greenup Co had a structure fire and when the guys went in there was a meth lab inside and it exploded while they were in the house. Unfortunately my cousin was in there and he was in the hospital a couple of days. Tho he suffered a slight heart attack it still was bad enough for this community.
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Josh:
Hope that your cousin is recovering from his slight heart attack.
Goddam meth addicts. Unfortunately, they are so addicted to the drug that they don't/can't think about those responding to their "playground".
It really sucks what's left for us to deal with.
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Grimes on
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Here in Southeastern Indiana we dealt with a lot of meth labs. It seems that things have calmed down though. There hasn't been as many fires. I have taken 2 classes given by the Indiana State Police. They are pretty good classes.
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On the disaster response team I am on, we got lectures on meth both as chemical "weapon" and as an explosive/incendiary. Im only trained to HazMat awareness (which will change once I pass FF1), but there are so many tell-tale signs if you know what you are looking/smelling for. Five gallon buckets and lots of plastic piping sitting around in a house, empty match boxes (matches are used in the red phosphorus method of "cooking"). The smell of photo chemicals, lots of cold medicine boxes or lcrushed up pills or capsules that have been taken apart to get at the power. Mainly its the smell; if you that in your head you will smell it a mile away. Just take a trip to your local ER on a Saturday night. Its a sickly sweet smell that will burn your knows, make your eyes tear, etc.
Meth use and manufacturing is becoming a big problem in Illinois especially in Chicago, Rockford, Peoria and Springfield. I was recently working an overnight in an ER and the information we were getting was that a new batch of meth hit the streets and it was going straight from one puff, to OD. Another thing for you EMS responders out there...You know how a drunk driver will (99%) of the time say that they have only had two beers? Well, know that if you deal with a meth addict who says they only smoked or slammed a small amount early in the day, you can be pretty that have been without sleep or food or water for about 3 days and have been tweeking all that time. Also, watch them carefully because they will turn on your in a second and since their sense of pain is all screwed up, they will attack you like you wouldnt believe.
Aslo, I believe there is a company out there that produces "erzatz" or fake meth in little vials so that EMTs and fire fighters can recognize the smell, which if a house is a lab, you can probably smell it across the street. And for those of who work with small, volly departments, remember that a meth lab is a crime scene. What we were taught was that if you get into a residence, hotel room, etc and you smell or otherwise suspect meth use or cooking, package your patient and get the hell out of their. A meth lab is glow worm territory. The have been instances of EMTs, Paramedics and LEOs keying the radio and the tiniest of sparks can cause a lab to explode.
As an EMT, I was taught that if you suspect meth overdose or that you may have just walk into a functioning lab, scoop your patient up and get them out of there. After clearing the building and staging at least 100 yards or so away from the lab, your first call is HazMat
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Another teltale sign is Red iodine purchases, and Red stained coffee filters around. The gas can with hose coming out of it (seperation method) is another big sign. The DEA agent said in field testing if 100 people tried cocaine 4 would become instantly addicted. If 100 people took meth in studies 80 were addicted instantly. With them stats, its just a matter of supply or demand.
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