2024 Canadian Hazmat & CBRNE Summit in Kitchener

Apr. 11, 2024, Kitchener, Ont. – The Ontario Hazardous Materials Responders Association (OHMRA) kicked off their 2024 Canadian Hazmat & CBRNE Summit on April 8 in Kitchener and welcomed over 225 attendees and 26 exhibitors.

The event opened with an illuminating keynote on Lithium-Ion batteries from The Hazmat Guys.

The day’s courses included:

• An introduction to radioactive materials transport including used nuclear fuel, presented by Ulf Stahner, NWMO
• Dry decon: Doing a lot with a little (the paramedic approach), presented by Julie Granger, York Paramedic Service
• CO2, not just a global warming hazard anymore, presented by Chris Pfaff, Hazmat & Rescue
• DO 101: A refresher/crash course for Designated Officers & MBTA Updates, presented by Ricardo Romero, Public Services Health & Safety Association
• CERCA, the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors Alliance, presented by David Hill
• Hazmat with intent: Terrorism & WMD Response tactics for emergency services, presented by Adam McFadden, Firehouse Training
• Robotics for CBRNE response, presented by Steve Clark
• The evolution of CBRN protection, presented by Dennis Sanders, Kappler
• Building the plane as we fly: Fire service response considerations for Lithium-Ion, presented by David Van Der Laar, Mississauga Fire
• Chemical suicides, presented by Julie Grainger and Matthew Simon, TEMS – OPP UCRT
• Homemade explosives, presented by Brent Burnside
• Exposure protocol, how workplace exposure management tools can assist designated officers, presented by Tracy Schwandt, Peel Police

Day two sessions included:

• Integrating EMS into incidents, presented by Lyle Renaud and Tony Deutsch, Niagara EMS
• Risk based response and line of sight rescue, presented by Stu Cond and Pete Brouwer
• Using spatial environments and analytics to support emergency management, presented by Mark Jasper, CRSP
• PEAC and PEAC WEB E2 overview, presented by Renee Soriano, AristaTek, Inc.
• Lithium-Ion: The unseen hazards, presented by Randy Narine and Dalan Zartman
• Leading upstream in your organization, presented by Jonathan Robichaud
• First responder offensive: FRO, presented by Brett Bigger, Nobel
• A public health perspective in the mandatory blood testing act (MBTA), presented by Lilliana Marinko, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
• Explosives awareness for emergency responders, presented by Andrew Krywonizka
• Misconceptions of FTIR and how it can enhance incident response, presented by Brandon Gayle – Redwave
• Hazmat fires and you: Concepts to think about during large-scale flammable and combustible liquid fires, presented by Chris Pfaff and Adam McFadden
• ERG 2024: Summar and changes of discussion, presented by Merick Makila-Boivin and Natacha Paquette, CANUTEC

OHMRA president Dawn Clinch was thrilled with this year’s sold-out show and is looking forward to the 2025 summit.