THE MERIT GROUP In the News

In the News

Meth Lab Training in Franklin
Reported by: Chris Cerenelli
Sunday, Mar 22, 2009 @05:00pm EST

Police and fire crews carry out simulation trainings regularly but this one in Franklin showed
just how serious a production making methamphetamine really is. Which is why the MERIT
Training Program gathered nearly one hundred police, EMS, and fire personnel to keep
them informed and help them crack down.

Trainer Doug McWilliams says "They run into a lot of these, some of them don't really know
what they're running into and the hazards behind it."

Jim Wetzel, Franklin Fire Chief agreed, adding "The responders should have more
protection than they would have in the past. They should know how to deal with it, things to
look for, and when to get out."

Regional police acknowledge there is a meth problem in northwest Pennsylvania. Franklin's
Fire Chief says there could be anywhere from 20-40 meth labs just within the city itself.
Those labs can be more discrete than you could ever imagine.

Wetzel says "Some of the labs they've shown us that were in a duffel bag, they even told us
they were able to hide one inside a dryer wrapped in clothing."

And when it comes to the knowledge participants left with, the seminar was a big
success.

Patty Kaltenbach, a volunteer with the Rockland Fire Department says "The stuff they
use for gases, I didn't realize how harmful they were. I would've thought we could at
least get in, get somebody out without harming ourselves first."

Indispensable experience to fight a deadly drug epidemic.