Over the past few years the number of clandestine meth labs is on the upswing, and that means trouble, not only for law enforcement but for other first responders as well. The Southeast has been hit hard by the meth scourge and, according to DOJ/DEA, is fast becoming the busiest area in the country for this activity.

This increases the probability that your agency one day will have to deal with the hazards that such facilities create. Hazardous materials, various types of cylinders, corrosives and flammables, and large amounts of trash and debris are common at most labs. Simple recognition and identification of these hazards can mean the difference in life and death when a fire or explosion occurs at a meth lab.

Most departments have standard operating guidelines in place for handling most emergency events. But even the best SOGs can be challenged by the clandestine lab, which will test most agencies’ ability to interact with others. Law-enforcement and crime-scene personnel from local, state and federal agencies, fire/hazmat/EMS teams, and clean-up contractors all come together at such an event. Each group has a mission and all should have the understanding that the incident is a crime scene.

The goal should be for all personnel to operate within a unified command system and to achieve this without major conflict. Training with the agencies with which you will be expected to interoperate at a clandestine lab site will eliminate much of the confusion that seems to ensue whenever incidents occur at such sites.

Another important goal is to avoid falling into the trap of believing that we should know it all when it comes to emergency response. When it comes to meth labs, I learned very quickly to say no when I didn’t know exactly what to do or if I could not identify the hazards initially upon arrival. The “hard way” is no way to learn about response, especially when it involves a meth lab. Use common sense, experience, the SOGs and unified incident command to achieve a successful and safe response.

Initial Considerations

Initial Considerations

As with any response event, establishing effective SOGs should be your starting point. The ability to apply such guidelines at the scene will result in sound decisions, which is the key to safe operations at a meth lab site. Make sure that all on-site personnel understand the following key points:

• Clandestine labs are a crime scene, so notify law enforcement if they are not already on scene.
• Treat the scene as a hazmat event.
• Establish protective zones and keep a safe distance.
• Deny entry to unauthorized personnel.
• Verify that law enforcement has searched and secured the entire scene.
• Fight fires upwind from a defensive position.

Most of us are aware of the rules of response when it relates to hazardous materials, but sometimes personnel tend to downplay their importance during a meth lab event. Labs can vary in complexity from a small mobile lab in a vehicle to a full-blown lab created for the mass production of methamphetamine. Either lab can present hazards that can cause injury and possible death if not handled correctly. Indeed, it’s not unusual to find a high concentration of flammables in a mobile lab.

One local trend we’ve seen involves cooks trying to produce larger quantities of anhydrous ammonia by mixing fertilizer and crystal drain opener in large cylinders. Most apply heat to this process, which can cause an unpredictable explosion. Several cooks who used this method were killed over the last several years.

Many fire departments responding to structure fires have discovered that a meth lab was on the premises. Once, my department was conducting a search and found an operating lab in the bathroom of the structure. They withdrew the interior teams and went to immediate defensive operations. Upon my arrival they informed me of strange-looking cylinders and tubing in the rear bathroom. The house was well involved on their arrival, but luckily the bathroom area was not gutted — although the resident cook had been transported to the burn center with serious injuries.

Much can be learned from this event, the most important lesson being that nothing can be assumed to be a typical fire. Being alert and aware of the types of items found at meth labs can make a big difference in the outcome of the event. For instance, preserving evidence can aid law-enforcement officials in obtaining a conviction. More important, no matter where the lab is located, there are common hazards that must be identified, in order to reduce the potential risk.

Situational Awareness

It is sometimes said that perception is reality. This doesn’t hold true in the case of where meth labs are be located. Intuitively, one would think that most meth labs would be located in an abandoned structure in the middle of nowhere. But experience has taught me otherwise. Instead, meth labs can be found in any of the following places (though this list does not cover every possible location):

• Residential structures and out buildings (e.g., sheds).
• Commercial buildings.
• Hotel and motel rooms.
• Vacant properties.
• Vehicles.
• Wooded areas.
• Mobile trailers.

Meth cooks typically spend much of their time trying to conceal the location of where they cook. However, ventilation systems at a lab range from crude to elaborate, well-designed systems, and often the odor from an active cook has led to the discovery of an operational lab. We must train ourselves and our personnel to be aware of possible meth lab activity.

One local law-enforcement agency had all front-line officers trained in meth lab awareness. The number of labs discovered and arrests made increased significantly as a result of the training. One of the officers who had received the training recognized materials used to manufacture meth at a residence while serving a warrant on unrelated charges. The person was charged with having a meth lab at that location. One of the senior narcotics officers told me that the training had made a big difference for the personnel who normally did not deal with meth labs on a consistent basis.

Common Hazards

Clandestine meth labs contain many different types of hazards. This section will address the most common hazards a first responder may encounter when encountering a lab site. Be aware, however, that although cooks are criminals, and as such posses a unique sense of ingenuity and adaptability. Law enforcement at all levels is putting intense pressure on cooks. This pressure causes the cooks to find new and sometimes even more hazardous way to create their deadly poison.

Flammable liquids and solids are common ingredients in the methamphetamine cooking process. Camp fuel, acetone, denatured alcohol and ether all pose significant hazards to the firefighter engaged in the primary search of a working house fire. Being able to recognizing when something looks "out of the norm" is the key to determining that a clandestine meth lab is on the premises. For instance, many of us use acetone during painting projects in our own homes — but how many of us need to have a dozen containers on hand in our bathroom?

Corrosives are another common component of the methamphetamine manufacturing process. Corrosives of all types commonly are found when labs are discovered. Examples of corrosives found at such labs fall into two categories, bases and acids, with each posing their own significant hazards.

Acids that commonly are found at labs include: muriatic acid, sulphuric acids and hydrochloric acids. These acids all carry a PH of less than 3, which makes them hazardous to first responders. It is not unlikely to find gallon-sized jugs of acids at lab sites. Being able to identify these items in the "heat of battle" is a key survival skill for any responder.

On the other side of the PH scale are the bases. Bases that commonly are found at labs include ammonia and sodium hydroxide. These agents pose danger to the unknowing, well-intentioned responder. Many cooks choose to either make their own anhydrous ammonia or subcontract that part of the process to someone else due to the increased difficulty of stealing that substance. The process of making anhydrous ammonia only requires a few ingredients, but the potential for disaster is great.

When responding to the common "shed on fire threatening a structure" call, responders should realize that a 20-pound propane cylinder with a plumbing valve and 1-inch vinyl tubing attached to it is not normal.

Reactive metals are another unique hazard associated with meth production. Lithium strips soaked in ether are another hazard a responder could come across while operating at the scene of a lab site. As mentioned earlier, the Ether itself poses a flammability hazard. Adding to this threat is the tendency of lithium strips to burst into flame when exposed to humid air. The resulting flash fire can severely injure first responders. Imagine the unknowing engine company member who attempts to extinguish what he believes to be a small trash fire without proper PPE, only to find that it really is a dump site containing discarded lithium strips.

Putting the Pieces Together

As we have learned, finding large quantities of certain household chemicals for unexplained reasons can be a big clue that a clandestine meth lab is present. This is not to say a meth lab will exist every time you find these items, but statistically these items often are found at meth labs. Keep in mind that experienced meth cooks tend to keep materials in different locations to hide their intent. Storing corrosives in one area and flammables or cylinders in another is a common tactic that they use. I have encountered cylinders and containers partially buried in the ground.

Putting together the pieces of the meth-lab puzzle sometimes can be a challenge, but your awareness is a big key to being successful. If you find yourself at a scene and your instincts tell you that it's a lab, then call for law enforcement. First responders often have discovered a lab after being called to the scene for a fire alarm or someone needing medical assistance. Meth cooks often are injured during the cooking process; to avoid the lab being discovered by law enforcement, they will not go to the hospital. If they decide to take a chance and go the hospital, usually it is one located, in the cook's mind, a safe distance from the lab site. It is not unusual for a meth cook to show up at a hospital ER several counties away.

Responding to a trash debris pile burning is an all-too-familiar response for fire departments. Keep in mind that for every pound of meth produced a large volume of waste is created. Some estimates show as much as 12 pounds of waste can be created from just one pound of meth being produced.

That waste is burned by the cook in an attempt to hide the illegal activity. Hopefully it will be discovered by observant fire department personnel upon their arrival. Don't overlook waste as the source of a woods fire either. One local department responded several times to the same location on the same shift, and eventually found that meth cooks had discarded a large quantity of highly reactive, heat producing waste, which had caused the fires. Finding large piles of waste from meth labs in wooded areas is not that uncommon. Dumpsites and commercial trash containers are favorite places for the dumping of meth waste. One store clerk was overcome by fumes from the outside trash dumpster as a result of meth waste being dumped there. Meth cooks are indiscriminate about where they dump the materials used to make their poison.

First responders must take the time to train in order to recognize the potential hazards and issues of dealing with clandestine meth labs. Visit the DOJ-DEA website for additional information. And keep in mind that you can play a key role in helping your department and law enforcement in controlling the meth epidemic. The bottom line is our life and safety depends on it.

William Lindsey served as battalion fire chief (retired) of the Columbia (S.C.) Fire Department for 25 years. He also served as a clandestine-lab technician and site safety officer from 2004 to 2009.

Michael DiNicola currently is a member of the Columbia (S.C.) Fire Dept., and served as clandestine-lab recovery technician from 2004 to 2009.

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