The first response encounters hazardous gases that need to be identified quickly. Gasmet manufactures portable and powerful gas analyzers for these crucial measurements. Measure a vast variety of gases simultaneously, on-site. Read about our solutions for First Response!

First Response Encounter the Unexpected

Firefighters, hazmat teams and military often encounter unknown gases in incident sites. Therefore it’s crucial to be able to assess the situation quickly and reliably to mitigate risks. Accidents involving chemicals and other hazardous materials (HAZMAT) require fast and accurate gas measurements as part of the first response. Accidents are by nature unexpected and unpredictable, so the equipment used for the first response in these situations should be flexible enough to work in a wide variety of different scenarios. CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear weapons) Units that are tasked with protecting the public from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats also need similar solutions for identifying and mitigating chemical threats. Gases like formaldehyde, toluene, ammonia, and arsine can pose a serious threat to health. As it is not always possible to know beforehand what you may encounter in HAZMAT situations, there is a need for both identification of gases and quantification of them. Having the best available technology at hand for that purpose is like life insurance to ensure everyone’s safety.

Intention of First Response During Incident

• Survey the risk area
• Identify and quantify the chemical risk
• Protect people from hazardous chemicals

Hazmat incidents pose risks

Every year thousands of incidents occur in which HAZMATs, like toxic industrial compounds and chemical warfare agents are released into the environment as a result of accidents or natural disasters. In addition to potentially harming people and the environment, these HAZMAT incidents are routinely addressed by first responders like firefighters and local law enforcement, who need to be protected also. All fires are HAZMAT situations in essence. Burning buildings are filled with plastics and electronics that might release toxic compounds while burning. Even when smoke is not visible, or fire is already extinguished, toxic gases might be present. If the atmosphere is not measured with adequate equipment and safety measures chosen according to the results, workers of the fire overhaul might be exposed to gases that are irritating, toxic or carcinogenic.

Immediate Results Cost-efficiently

Traditionally analyzing an unknown sample has required sampling followed by time-consuming and expensive laboratory analysis. However, sometimes the situation requires quick decisions and there is no time to wait for results from a laboratory before taking action. A portable analyzer that can give laboratory-grade results can, therefore, be a crucial tool for first responders, helping them make informed decisions on the field.

Portable Gas Analyzer for Hazardous Gases

Gasmet FTIR analyzer GT5000 Terra is the ideal tool for this job. This portable (9,4kg), splashproof (IP54) and easy to use tool offer the capability to measure a wide variety of gases simultaneously and results can be viewed online. Due to its portability and ease of use, the analyzer can be carried to a monitoring site and measurements can be performed with one click. The technology also enables the identification of unknown gases in the sample from Gasmet’s library of 400+ gases or NIST library of 5000+ gases. The analyzer gives an all-clear signal when these hazardous compounds aren’t present in the area. This helps to minimize risks which is crucial in both HAZMAT and CBRN situations where it is impossible to know beforehand exactly what the responders may encounter.

With GT5000 Terra and Calcmet software, you get continuous measurements with built-in Wifi or Bluetooth and you can operate it remotely through VPN. This means you can take measurements remotely and analyze the results without staying long periods at the potentially hazardous site. Calcmet gives an alarm if there’s an unknown component or high concentration of know hazardous compounds. The analyzer also enables the possibility to add new gases without any hardware changes and to do a post-analysis of the results. Designed for demanding on-field use, portable and splashproof GT5000 Terra is the tool that answers to the needs of safety professionals from firefighters to military personnel.

Benefits of Gasmet gas analyzer

• Immediate online results
• Cost-effective solution
• Designed for demanding field use
• Wireless connectivity