PODCAST · education
The HazMat Guys
by Bobby Salvesen and Mike Monaco
From a spark of knowledge on a podcast to a comprehensive training hub, we empower responders of all levels in the ever-evolving world of hazmat response. Through hundreds of episodes, online courses, and in-person programs, we bridge the gap between novice and expert, fostering a collaborative community of continuous learning. Together, we equip responders with the skills and knowledge to navigate hazardous situations safely and effectively.
Episodes
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Could You Recognize Plague on a Routine Respiratory Call?
Plague is not just a chapter in medieval history. It remains present in animal reservoirs, and a recent unexplained death involving a Russian anti-plague laboratory worker has renewed questions about pneumonic plague. Bobby and Mike discuss what is known, what remains unconfirmed, and why...
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Are Bad Instructors Why Everyone Hates HazMat? | THMG0569
Why do firefighters who enjoy hands-on rescue and suppression training often dread hazmat class? The hosts examine how lecture-heavy courses, intimidating jargon, and instructors who confuse showing off with teaching can discourage students before they understand the work.They discuss breaking…
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Are Hazmat Meters Making Technicians Worse at Hazmat?
Modern hazmat meters are extraordinarily capable, but are technicians becoming too dependent on them? Mike’s hot take is that the hazmat community is losing some of its command of chemical and physical properties, investigation, and critical thinking as advanced meters increasingly provide the...
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Your PowerPoint Is Not the Instructor
What separates a knowledgeable hazmat technician from an effective instructor? Bobby, Jake, and the crew talk about moving beyond slide-reading and turning technical information into something students can actually understand, retain, and use. They break down PowerPoint as a supporting tool, the...
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Is 40 Hours Enough to Make a Competent Hazmat Technician?
A 40-hour hazmat technician course may meet a minimum requirement, but Bob, Mike, and Jake question whether it can realistically produce field-ready competency. They break down the difference between covering material and actually developing knowledge, proficiency, and competency, then compare...
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How 9/11 Changed Hazmat Response for the Next 25 Years
Twenty-five years after September 11, Bobby and Mike are joined by FDNY HazMat 1 Lieutenant John Cassidy and retired NYPD Emergency Service Unit member Mike Kenny to look at how 9/11 changed hazmat response. The discussion follows the rapid expansion of funding, training, WMD preparedness,...
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Hot Takes: Are Hazmat Teams Moving Too Slowly?
Hazmat response is supposed to be deliberate, but has “slow down” become an excuse for unnecessary delay? The crew challenges the idea that every hazmat incident should automatically move at a crawl, especially during the early stages when rapid recon and life safety decisions matter most. They...
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Magic Mushroom Grow Labs: How Dangerous Are They Really? | THMG563
What happens when a hazmat team walks into a magic mushroom lab? In this episode, Bob and Jake break down psilocybin mushroom grow operations and what firefighters, hazmat technicians, and law enforcement need to know. They cover how magic mushrooms are grown, processed, and packaged, along with...
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A dip into the ‘ol mailbag | Part II
We discuss when Level A protection may actually be the wrong choice, why hazmat incidents often become command problems instead of purely chemistry problems, and which hazmat situations are the most concerning. The conversation focuses on practical hazmat response, PPE selection, risk assessment,...
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A dip into the ‘ol mailbag | Part I
Pulling from the podcast mailbag, we break down how responders think through chemical identification, initial isolation, and early hazmat decision-making during an incident. We also discuss atmospheric monitoring and the common meter-use mistake that can affect safety and situational awareness....
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Battery issue in Warwick with Wayne Melton | Part II
Wayne walks through an interesting real-world event that offers plenty to think about for anyone involved in response, training, or emergency services. The conversation highlights how much can be learned from actual calls and why it’s important to bring those lessons back to the training table....
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Battery issue in Warwick with Wayne Melton
Wayne walks through an interesting real-world event that offers plenty to think about for anyone involved in response, training, or emergency services. The conversation highlights how much can be learned from actual calls and why it’s important to bring those lessons back to the training table....
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Designing the Decon | Part II
We take a closer look at the details behind Decon corridor setup, including the amount of instructional time it deserves, and the nuance involved in doing it well. The conversation explores key considerations for building and improving a decontamination corridor, with practical points that can…
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Designing the Decon Corridor
We take a closer look at the details behind Decon corridor setup, including the amount of instructional time it deserves, and the nuance involved in doing it well. The conversation explores key considerations for building and improving a decontamination corridor, with practical points that can…
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Are Fire Suits The Newest HazMat PPE? | Mailbag: Part Deux | THMG556
In this episode, Mike revisits a question raised during one of the show’s happy hours and explains why he thought it deserved a deeper conversation. Bob and Jake come into the discussion with their own reactions, but over the course of this two-part episode, the conversation takes some unexpected...
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THMG555 – Mailbag
In this episode, Mike revisits a question raised during one of the show’s happy hours and explains why he thought it deserved a deeper conversation. Bob and Jake come into the discussion with their own reactions, but over the course of this two-part episode, the conversation takes some unexpected...
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THMG554 – Are you compliant?
Fresh off our Baltimore keynote, From Compliance to Competency, this episode digs into why moving beyond simple compliance matters for real growth, better practice, and more meaningful engagement. We got some strong traction and thoughtful responses from the audience, we wanted to continue the...
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THMG553 – Introducing HAVEN Software
In this episode, we discuss the current software offerings, Haven Metering and Haven Incident Mapping, and share a look at where the project stands right now. John is developing the tools behind the scenes, and we’re excited to give listeners a better sense of what’s coming. We also talk about…
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THMG552 – Ebola 2026 | Part II
Mike and I dust off an older Ebola episode from the last time the virus made headlines and bring it up to date with the current outbreak context. We talk through the Ebola situation as it’s being reported, why people are paying attention again, and how to think about practical preparedness…
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THMG551a – What’s new at Rigaku
In this conversation, Jesse Taylor walks us through what’s new at Rigaku, featuring the Icon-X Raman analyzer, as well as the Vector standoff accessory. The discussion focuses on the significance of Rigaku’s use of 1064 nm Raman technology in the new Icon-X platform, the Vector’s 1-3 meter…
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THMG551 – Ebola 2026
Mike and I dust off an older Ebola episode from the last time the virus made headlines and bring it up to date with the current outbreak context. We talk through the Ebola situation as it’s being reported, why people are paying attention again, and how to think about practical preparedness…
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THMG550 – Polymerization…MMA
We explain polymerization in clear, approachable terms, connecting the chemistry concept to the recent California-related headlines that brought it into public conversation. If you’ve heard the term in news coverage and weren’t sure what it referred to, this episode offers a straightforward...
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THMG549 – Civil Support Teams | Part II
Jeff Wynn, who listeners may remember from a previous episode, shares new information that builds on our earlier discussion of civilian support teams and military support for local assets. The conversation explores how these teams can help organizations and personnel get to the next level, with...
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THMG548 – Civil Support Teams | Part I
Jeff Wynn, who listeners may remember from a previous episode, shares new information that builds on our earlier discussion of civilian support teams and military support for local assets. The conversation explores how these teams can help organizations and personnel get to the next level, with...
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THMG547 – Top 5 C&P Properties You need for monitoring
Recorded on-site at the Cold Zone Hazmat Conference, this conversation focuses on the key chemical and physical properties that help responders monitor hazards safely and effectively. Jake and Bob walk through the five core properties every hazmat professional should know, with practical…
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THMG546 – AI for the Fail!!
We start by unpacking common AI fails and how the quality of your input directly shapes the output. From there, Bob goes deeper into long-term context that may already be set up in your account without you realizing it, and how that hidden context can influence what an AI assistant generates over...
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THMG545 – Haz Mat Draft Day!
In this episode, the guys run a full-on draft where each person picks 10 different hazmat products while boxing the others out from grabbing the same items. As the rounds unfold, the conversation turns into a lively breakdown of choices, priorities, and the trade-offs that come with building a...
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THMG544a – Join the JOIFF Community
We sit down with Mark Feldman and Ralph Suppa to talk through the growing wave of questions we’ve been getting by email about class accreditation and what it really means in practice. To bring clarity and visibility to the current state of things, we teamed up with the gentlemen from JOIFF for a...
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THMG544 – The Big Riff
Right before hitting record, the crew has a lightning-bolt idea: Bob might not be able to join the conversation, but he can still shape it. Instead of sitting out completely, he drops five questions for Mike and Jake to tackle, spar, and “fight it out” over as the discussion unfolds. The result…
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THMG543 – Mailbag
In this mailbag-style episode, we pull a handful of standout emails and mix them with questions that come up in class. It’s a quick, conversational Q&A where we respond to real questions and talk through them in a practical way. If you like episodes that feel more interactive, built from listener...
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THMG542 – Emerging threats V2026.2
In this episode, we break down the United States’ emerging threats document and translate it into practical takeaways you can actually use. This is part of a two-part series, where we walk through six key points from the document and discuss how each one connects to the Hazard's Materials branch....
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THMG541 – Emerging threats V2026.1
In this episode, we break down the United States’ emerging threats document and translate it into practical takeaways you can actually use. This is part of a two-part series, where we walk through six key points from the document and discuss how each one connects to the Hazard's Materials branch....
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THMG540 – Top 10 Chemicals on Road
Jake takes the lead in this episode to break down the top 10 chemicals you’re most likely to encounter on the road in the United States, and why knowing what’s around you matters. We count down from #10 to #1, unpacking the most common roadside chemicals and what makes each one noteworthy along…
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THMG539 – The Plot Thickens...
Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT problem, it can directly affect your hazmat operation and the safety decisions you make every day. In this episode, we pause amid everything happening in the world to talk about why cyber risks matter in hazardous materials work. Also, quick heads-up: the show’s...
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THMG538: Mailbag
In this episode, Mike’s off on assignment, so Bob gets to team up with Jake again—and we’re kind of hoping this turns into a regular thing. It’s four quick questions pulled from the old mailbag, and it always gets things moving. Give it a listen. 1. How important is actual chemistry in hazmat...
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THMG537 – Exposure Limits
In this episode, Jake and Bob, sit down to chat about exposure limits, looking at them through an industrial hygienist’s lens and a “Haz Mat Response” perspective. We’ll cover a mix of the common ones, the lesser-known ones, and a few you might not really care about, but knowing them can help you...
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2026 Public Service Announcement 1
We're not going to plan on doing these often, but periodically it's nice to let everybody know what's going on with what we're doing, where the show's going, and get your input. Take a listen.
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THMG536 – AI for the Win Again | Part IV
We had great traction with the last AI episode, so we dived a little deeper and created a miniseries on the topic. More to come on this one, so strap in, this landscape is shifting quickly. EPISODE SPONSORS Rigaku Analytical Devices Rigaku provides handheld Raman analyzers for first responders...
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THMG535 – AI for the Win Again | Part III
We had great traction with the last AI episode, so we dived a little deeper and created a miniseries on the topic. More to come on this one, so strap in, this landscape is shiftingquickly. EPISODE SPONSORS Rigaku Analytical Devices Rigaku provides handheld Raman analyzers for first responders...
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THMG534 Hazard Class interviews Dr. Norman
Since we are wrapping up our first conference in lovely downtown Key West Florida we stepped back and had our intrepid interviewer Jake Ryks who got the chance to sit down with Dr. Mark Norman. Check out this background interview and learn who the man is. It’s seriously inciteful if your thinking...
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THMG533a – Lithium Ion Suppression Showdown
Guests John Glaser • Packaging Engineer (RIT graduate) • 25+ years in chemical and dangerous goods packaging • Representative at DGeo, specializing in lithium-ion battery containment and transport • Expert in third-party testing, thermal runaway mitigation, and DOT-compliant packaging Contact: •...
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THMG533 – AI for the Win Again | Part I
We had great traction with the last AI episode, so we dived a little deeper and created a miniseries on the topic. More to come on this one, so strap in, this landscape is shifting quickly. EPISODE SPONSORS Rigaku Analytical Devices Rigaku provides handheld Raman analyzers for first responders...
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THMG532 – A.I. in Haz Mat Response
In this episode, Mike sits down with Bob to explore how AI can be applied in today's response landscape. Even if you're already working with AI, there's a good chance you'll discover some fresh insights along the way.EPISODE SPONSORS Rigaku Analytical Devices Rigaku provides handheld Raman...
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THMG531 – Neutrons Part II
Rigaku Analytical Devices Rigaku provides handheld Raman analyzers for first responders operating in unknown environments. Their 1064 nm Raman technology reduces fluorescence interference, enabling chemical identification in under a minute—even in challenging samples. Rigaku’s fourth-generation...
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THMG530 – Neutrons Part I
Rigaku Analytical Devices Rigaku provides handheld Raman analyzers for first responders operating in unknown environments. Their 1064 nm Raman technology reduces fluorescence interference, enabling chemical identification in under a minute—even in challenging samples. Rigaku’s fourth-generation...
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THMG529 – Energy Storage systems
After hearing about a recent conflagration in Warwick, NY, we went and did a little research on some of the recent ones and the outcomes from them. Thank you to our sponsor for this episode: Rigaku Rigaku Analytical Devices provides handheld Raman analyzers for first responders who face the...
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THMG528 – 7-OH OTC Fun! | Part II
We recently finished recording an unboxing video that'll be available soon on the LMS. During filming, the sales rep brought up that the product detects 7-OH - something we hadn't come across before. After doing some digging, we thought it'd be worth sharing what we learned since you'll likely...
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THMG527 – 7-OH OTC Fun! | Part I
We recently finished recording an unboxing video that'll be available soon on the LMS. During filming, the sales rep brought up that the product detects 7-OH - something we hadn't come across before. After doing some digging, we thought it'd be worth sharing what we learned since you'll likely...
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THMG526 – Smells, Swell and Tells | Part II
After a recent class, we got to think about how, in hazmat, we’re always told to avoid using our five senses. But honestly, we don’t always follow that advice ourselves. In this episode, we dig into how your senses might actually help you out in certain situations. Give it a listen! Thank you to...
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THMG525 – Smells, Swell and Tells
After a recent class, we got to think about how, in hazmat, we’re always told to avoid using our five senses. But honestly, we don’t always follow that advice ourselves. In this episode, we dig into how your senses might actually help you out in certain situations. Give it a listen! Thank you to...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
From a spark of knowledge on a podcast to a comprehensive training hub, we empower responders of all levels in the ever-evolving world of hazmat response. Through hundreds of episodes, online courses, and in-person programs, we bridge the gap between novice and expert, fostering a collaborative community of continuous learning. Together, we equip responders with the skills and knowledge to navigate hazardous situations safely and effectively.
HOSTED BY
Bobby Salvesen and Mike Monaco
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The HazMat Guys have?
The HazMat Guys currently has 86 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The HazMat Guys about?
From a spark of knowledge on a podcast to a comprehensive training hub, we empower responders of all levels in the ever-evolving world of hazmat response. Through hundreds of episodes, online courses, and in-person programs, we bridge the gap between novice and expert, fostering a collaborative...
How often does The HazMat Guys release new episodes?
The HazMat Guys has 86 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The HazMat Guys?
You can listen to The HazMat Guys on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The HazMat Guys?
The HazMat Guys is created and hosted by Bobby Salvesen and Mike Monaco.
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