§ 156-a. Establishment of a specialized hazardous materials emergency
response training program. 1. The state fire administrator shall
establish a specialized hazardous materials emergency response training
program for individuals responsible for providing emergency response
recovery following incidents involving hazardous materials as such term
is defined in regulations promulgated by the commissioner of
transportation pursuant to section fourteen-f of the transportation law.
The state fire administrator shall inform all fire companies, municipal
corporations and districts, including agencies and departments thereof
and all firefighters, both paid and volunteer, and related officers and
employees and police officers of the implementation and availability of
the hazardous materials emergency response training program and shall,
subject to the availability of an appropriation, conduct such training
with sufficient frequency to assure adequate response to incidents
involving hazardous materials and protection of responders in all
geographic areas of the state.

2. The state fire administrator shall prescribe the curriculum of the
hazardous materials emergency response training program, which shall
include, but shall not be limited to:

(a) hands-on training, including information in regard to leak and
spill control, product neutralization, pickup and disposal, fire
control, decontamination procedures and use and application of foam
agents;

(b) hazard assessment with emphasis on incident scene decision-making,
including: potential threat to public safety and need for evacuation,
calculation of the effect of weather on certain chemicals and evaluation
of the result of chemical exposures to air, water, soil, vegetation,
lives and property and impact on the personal safety of those working in
the accident area;

(c) calibration and use of emergency equipment;

(d) chemical and biological properties of various classes of
chemicals, for example, flammables, oxidizers, corrosives, poisons; and

(e) weapons of mass destruction and response to terrorism.

3. Such specialized hazardous materials emergency response training
program curriculum shall also include guidance regarding emergency
response to incidents involving lithium-ion batteries. For the purposes
of this section, "lithium-ion battery" means a storage battery in which
an electrical current is generated by lithium ions embedded in a carbon
graphite nickel metal-oxide substrate placed in a high-viscosity
carbonate mixture or gelled polymer electrolyte.

4. The state fire administrator is hereby directed to issue a report
to the governor, speaker of the assembly, temporary president of the
senate, chairman of the assembly transportation committee and the
chairman of the senate transportation committee by February fifteenth of
each year on the operations of the program set forth in this section.

5. The state fire administrator shall promulgate such rules and
regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this
section.