When most people think of the fire department, they understandably assume fire suppression is the sole duty of this public agency. However, as many members of our staff have come to learn, the fire department is responsible for a great deal more than just putting out fires. Firefighters’ duties include, but are not limited to, fire prevention, providing emergency medical aid as first responders, and cleaning up hazardous materials.

The specialized crew that responds to incidents involving dangerous chemicals, best known as the Hazmat Team, was our focus for this issue’s cover story. We came to better understand the vital role the team plays in our community and learned that materials that can put the public at risk are more common than we thought. Most of us may not be in any real jeopardy of coming into contact with hazardous materials on a routine basis, but for some people, these dangerous liquids and chemicals are a concern each day they’re on the job. The experts of the Hazmat Team help keep ordinary citizens out of harm’s way.

For the cover shot, photographer David Swann and photo assistant Jordan Saba got together with the Visalia Fire Department’s Hazmat Team at Station 55 on the northwest side of town at Shirk and Ferguson. The scene was fully equipped for the shot with the Hazmat vehicle, decon (short for decontamination) implements, and, of course, members of the team in their bright yellow safety suits. Fortunately for us, it was training week at the facility, so there were plenty of ready and willing firefighters on hand to help us get the shoot just right. As with all of our images, a bona fide Hazmat scenario was a must.