Extreme cold weather creates a significant cold weather challenge for hazardous materials response. When chemical spills, chemical releases, or vapor threats occur in cold-weather environments, traditional decontamination methods—especially water-based decontamination—can become ineffective or unsafe.
Dry decontamination in cold weather provides an alternative approach that supports emergency decontamination when freezing risk and ambient conditions limit conventional options.
This blog summarizes what was shared publicly through HazmatNation and provides operational context based on FAST-ACT’s experience supporting emergency preparedness and response across transportation, industrial, and healthcare environments.
In December 2025, the White House issued an executive order designating illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD). This designation reflects a growing federal acknowledgment that fentanyl is not only a driver of the opioid crisis, but also a serious hazardous materials threat to first responders, including law enforcement, fire,… Continue reading Fentanyl Decontamination and Responder Safety: Why Federal Designation Matters for First Responders
When a material is unknown, delaying action can increase exposure risk, allow contamination to spread, and endanger both responders and the public. An effective emergency response plan must account for this reality and prioritize immediate hazard reduction alongside identification efforts.
As nations increase defense funding and expand industrial production capacity, one reality is becoming clearer: modern threats require stronger advanced chemical response readiness across military forces, emergency responders, hospitals, and industrial sectors. The European Parliament’s approval of its first-ever defense industry program—aimed at boosting continental manufacturing and rapid-response capability—illustrates a global shift toward addressing evolving… Continue reading How Global Defense Investments Signal a Growing Need for Advanced Chemical Response Readiness
This month, FAST-ACT continued advancing chemical preparedness through demonstrations and follow-up engagements with emergency response and military units.
This blog will cover how key industries—including mining, oil and gas, environmental remediation, and battery manufacturing—manage chemical hazards and strengthen their emergency response capabilities for National Environmental Awareness Month.
This blog explores why battery failure produces dangerous hazardous fumes, how these events escalate into hazardous areas, and why emergency response personnel need fast, water-free neutralization methods to reduce chemical exposure.
This November, the FAST-ACT team continued its commitment to advancing chemical preparedness and CBRN defense through nationwide engagement and collaboration. From Charleston to Los Angeles and Fort Campbell, FAST-ACT and its partners showcased how dry decontamination technology enhances operational readiness and response efficiency across military, emergency, and defense sectors.
While campaigns like USPS Hazmat Awareness Month help reinforce safety practices, incidents related to hazardous package handling can happen at any time of the year, from chemical spills to opioid exposure or lithium battery leaks.
Ensuring employee safety requires a combination of awareness, proper handling protocols, and practical chemical decontamination tools that can neutralize threats quickly.
