About the Program

The Brentwood Fire and Rescue Department provides a hazardous materials (Hazmat) response program that ensures appropriate protection for the community. The mission of the Hazmat program aims to provide competent, knowledgeable, and resourceful hazardous materials response capabilities that focus on the risks that exist in our city. 

The vision of the Brentwood Fire and Rescue Hazmat Program is to: 

• Be knowledgeable and able to obtain information about hazardous materials encountered and their associated hazards;
• Acquire and maintain apparatus and equipment needed to respond to and mitigate hazardous materials emergencies regionally in a fiscally responsible manner;
• Train regularly on hazardous materials situations that can be faced when called upon;
• Work with citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders within our jurisdiction and surrounding areas to prevent hazardous materials emergencies from occurring and;
• Maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders who will assist with large-scale hazardous materials incidents.

The agency employs a three-tier response system to release hazardous materials. Training for each tier complies with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 and NFPA 470.The first tier consists of line fire and rescue personnel who are trained to manage small-scale emergencies that occur frequently within the City. 

The second tier consists of a regional Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT), which is comprised of Brentwood Fire Hazmat Technicians, along with responders from Franklin Fire Department and Williamson County Emergency Management Agency. The mission of this team is to respond to emergencies that may exceed the capabilities of the local resources.

The third tier consists of an emergency response contract with a private hazardous materials response and clean-up company and standing mutual aid agreements with the city's adjacent fire departments. These include the Tennessee National Guard, which maintains a Civil Support Team in Nashville with highly trained individuals able to respond when requested for weapons of mass destruction incidents and hazard identification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector?

It is recommended that all homes in Brentwood invest in Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detectors. While their primary use is in homes with natural gas, homes with electric vehicles, golf carts, or battery-powered mobility devices such as scooters may also benefit from having Carbon Monoxide Detectors.

Refer to the specific manufacturer of your CO detector for the appropriate installation location(s) and replacement date.

For more information about Carbon Monoxide Detectors, click here.

I have old hazardous materials in my home. How do I dispose of them?

 The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) hosts drop-off events for certain hazardous chemicals yearly. The TDEC collection events are not county-specific, so any Tennessee resident is welcome to bring items to dispose of at any event. To find out when the next event is being held in Williamson County and other important information about household hazardous waste, go to the county's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Webpage.

 The City of Franklin Sanitation and Environmental Services provides a free, year-round collection for batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze, and electronics (BOPAE) recycling for any Williamson County Resident. For more information about this free BOPAE service, including the open hours - click here.

Are Lithium-Ion batteries, particularly electric vehicles, safe?

Much information is currently available about the use of lithium batteries and their general safety, specifically for electric vehicles. They are very safe if you follow the manufacturer's instructions for these items' care, maintenance, and use. Most issues with lithium batteries are found when these instructions are not followed. Click here for important safety information regarding lithium-ion batteries. For safety information about electric vehicles, check out this website.

I have been told that my facility may need to report the chemicals on-site to the fire department. How do I do that?

Facilities that use or store a hazardous chemical above a threshold quantity to submit their chemical inventory information to off-site officials on or before March 1st of each year. The inventory information must be submitted to Brentwood Fire & Rescue, the Williamson County LEPC, and Tennessee's SERC.

Brentwood business may submit this information to The University of Texas, Dallas online ePlan Webpage, allowing Brentwood Fire Department personnel, Williamson County's LEPC, and the state to glean the information as needed. For information about submitting to ePlan, click here. 

 Click here for more information on TIER II reports and the state and local requirements for TIER II reporting.