What the HazMat Module Requires
The NERIS HazMat Module applies to spills, releases, leaks, and exposures involving hazardous chemicals, gases, biological agents, or radiological materials. It requires information about the specific material involved (UN number, chemical name, hazard class), the container type, the release characteristics, response actions taken, decontamination scope, and casualties — both civilian and responder.
This level of technical specificity makes HazMat incidents among the most difficult to draft from a short narrative. Material identification alone requires data — UN number, chemical name — that a short incident narrative frequently does not contain in structured form.
HazMat Module Key Fields
Material Involved
UN number, chemical name, or hazard class — highly specific
Container Type
Tank, cylinder, drum, pipeline, vehicle — affects release characteristics
Release Type
Spill, leak, fire-involved release, explosion — each has different NERIS codes
Amount Released
Estimated volume or quantity — often unavailable in narratives
Actions Taken
Containment, absorption, ventilation, evacuation
Decontamination
Scope and method — required even if limited
Casualties
Civilian and responder exposures and injuries
Evacuation Scope
Number of people displaced and area affected
Current Station Draft Coverage
Station Draft v0.1 does not include full HazMat module coverage. HazMat incidents require precise technical data that short officer narratives typically do not contain in structured form — material identification, UN numbers, release quantities. Generating a draft with missing material data would produce a record with too many Review and Missing flags to be useful.
HazMat module development is planned based on pilot feedback. Departments that run significant HazMat call volume are encouraged to apply for the pilot and provide input on what HazMat coverage should prioritize.