Years ago, some of those in public safety as well as some in our military, looked upon the training in and response to, Hazardous Materials incidents as a burden, something we shouldn’t be involved in and in some cases as a joke. Those who trained and dedicated themselves to the handling of these incidents were often ridiculed and made fun of. Well times have changed and due to recent events, many now realize just how invaluable those trained in Haz-Mat truly are in the protection of those we serve, not just in North America, but world-wide. So, who’s laughing now?