Email   Print   Share By Dave Larsen, Sentinel Editor

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Ralph Hinkson, Fort Hood assistant fire chief, takes a phone call at a temporary command station set up outside the 13th ESC motor pool June 21. Twelve Fort Hood firefighters and three officers responded to a potential hazardous material leak. After cordoning off the area, establishing an entry team, back-up and a decontamination team, the substance discovered turned out to be household cleaner. Dave Larsen, Sentinel Editor

Fort Hood firefighters roll up hoses as they break down a decontamination wash site in the 13th ESC motor pool June 21. Firefighters responded to a call of a potential hazardous material leak in a storage container in the motor pool. Though the substance was found to be a common household cleaner, the call tested the Fort Hood Fire Department’s ability to respond to a crisis. Dave Larsen, Sentinel Editor

Members of the Fort Hood Fire Department break down a decontamination wash site following their response to a reported possible hazardous material leak in the 13th ESC motor pool June 12 at Fort Hood. The leak was found to be common detergent. Dave Larsen, Sentinel Editor

Twelve Fort Hood firefighters in five response vehicles raced to the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) motor pool June 21 in response to a report of a hazardous material leak.

“We received the call at 11:43 a.m.,” said Ralph Hinkson, Fort Hood assistant fire chief. “We arrived in under five minutes.”

Hinkson said the caller was concerned of a potential radiological leak in one the motor pool’s storage containers. The firefighters, assisted by the Fort Hood Police and other installation emergency services personnel, cordoned off the area and went in with chemical and radiological detectors.

“When we have an unknown, like this,” Hinkson said, “we react the same way to any hazmat scenario. We establish an entry team, a back-up and a decontamination team.”

Hinkson said within minutes of entering the storage container, his team was able to determine no hazardous materials were present.

“We test for radiological and chemical materials,” Hinkson said, “praying for negative results.”

Hinkson said a Soldier called in the potential leak after noticing an unidentified liquid material in the storage container. He said the Soldier called immediately, and then donned a chemical protective suit, including gas mask, gloves and boots.

“She did exactly what she was supposed to do,” Hinkson said of the Soldier.

Though the unidentified liquid material turned out to be a common household cleaner, Fort Hood Fire Chief Billy Rhoads said his team of firefighters acted swiftly, safely and as a team.

“This was an excellent operation,” he said as firefighters tore down the decontamination wash site and rolled up fire hoses in the motor pool. “Everyone performed exactly the way we plan these out. They showed excellent teamwork.”

While this type of operation is part of the installation’s force protection exercise annually, Hinkson said this call, though a false alarm, offered a great opportunity to test his team’s response to a crisis.

“We always hope it’s nothing,” Hinkson said of the emergency call. “Then it becomes an exercise of our guidelines and protocols.”