Pubdate: Wed, 20 Jul 2005 Source: Statesman Journal (Salem, OR) Copyright: 2005 Statesman Journal Contact: http://www.statesmanjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/427 Author: Larry Bivins and Pamela Brogan, Gannett News Service, Statesman Journal reporter Cara Roberts Murez and Des Moines (Iowa) Register reporter Staci Hupp contributed to this report Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) METH FLARES UP As Use Of The Drug Increases Across The Nation, So Does The Danger From Fires And Explosions In Its Manufacturing Labs WASHINGTON -- As the methamphetamine trade continues to push into more densely populated areas, more people are being forced to deal with the risk of fires and explosions caused by the drug's highly combustible ingredients, law enforcement officials say. Sam Phillips, the chief training officer for Marion County Fire District No. 1, describes meth as "an extreme fire threat." "It doesn't take much for these labs to ignite," he said. Meth has been spreading eastward from the West and Midwest in the past five years. It was identified as the No. 1 drug problem by law enforcement agencies in 45 states, a National Association of Counties survey released earlier this month shows. "Meth is invading our communities like wildfire," North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said. In North Carolina, the number of meth labs or meth dump sites seized by police increased from six in 1999 to 317 in 2004, the Drug Enforcement Administration said. In New York, seizures increased from one to 28. In West Virginia, they increased from five to 145. And meth-related hospital admissions have increased dramatically in East Coast cities such as Baltimore and Newark, N.J., the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said. "The number of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories is growing, and their locations are shifting from isolated, rural facilities to houses, trailers and apartments in more densely populated urban areas," the Arkansas Department of Health reported last year. Mark Gwyn, the director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said that "we've been telling people that if this ever gets a hold in our urban areas, we just won't have the resources to control it." Combustible Situation Meth's migration into cities and towns presents a nightmare scenario for first responders and environmental officials because the chemicals used to make the drug are so combustible and toxic. Eric Lawrence, a drug forensic expert for the Indiana State police, called meth labs "an immediate threat to public safety." Marion County Fire District No. 1 Chief Roy Hari has had the unfortunate experience of discovering a meth dump. Last summer, a neighbor of Hari's in the Macleay area found a large, plastic storage container hidden next to a tree in his yard and called the fire chief for help. Hari opened the container just enough to look inside and saw containers holding meth-making chemicals. He called the Marion County Sheriff's Office, which sent deputies who confirmed his suspicions that it was a self-contained, portable meth lab. "All the different ingredients for meth were there," Hari said. In the Northwest, the number of illegal dump sites has surged in the past decade. From 1996 to 1999, there were 26 clandestine drug labs and dump sites discovered and reported in the Northwest, Phillips said. In 2000 and 2001, there were 488 in the same area. Although firefighters for Marion County Fire District No. 1 have been fortunate enough to not have had any fires begin at dump sites, they have fought meth-related fires in houses and have had their gear exposed to harsh chemicals, requiring decontamination. The risks are great because of the highly toxic chemicals used in manufacturing meth and the carelessness with which meth cooks use and dispose of the drug-making products. It is bad for the first responders and the environment. Fires Lead To Discoveries Nationally, law enforcement officials found 2,304 meth labs from 2000 through May 20 this year because the labs caught fire or exploded, the Drug Enforcement Administration said. The number of those incidents peaked at 639 in 2003 and dropped to 275 last year, even though meth availability, production and distribution are increasing nationally. This year, there have been 71 meth-lab fires and explosions. From January 2000 through June 2004, there were 1,791 meth-related spills, fires or explosions in 15 of the 16 states that report such incidents to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those 15 states were Oregon, Washington, Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin. New Jersey was the only state of the 16 that reported no meth-related incidents. The incidents injured 947 people, including 531 police officers, and caused the temporary evacuation of 2,732 people. A total of 1,154 people were decontaminated, including 698 emergency responders. Children of meth manufacturers often are present while the drug is being cooked in mom-and-pop labs, an added potential for disaster. Since 2000, nine children have died in meth-lab accidents and scores have been injured. Thousands have been exposed to the addictive drug and its toxic byproducts. The drug's ingredients -- acids, bases, metals solvents and salts -- soak into fabrics and porous surfaces and produce toxic gases that find their way into ventilation systems. Cleanup costs are huge. In 2001, California spent nearly $5.5 million cleaning up more than 2,000 meth labs, the Justice Department's National Drug Threat Assessment for 2003 shows. Every pound of meth produced leaves behind 6 pounds of toxic byproducts that meth traffickers often pour down toilets, onto the ground or into rivers and streams. In preparation for the inevitable in Marion County, Phillips is training firefighters in simulated labs and through practice raids. They are taught how to recognize and identify a meth lab, the dangers those labs pose to their own health and about "booby traps" -- such as explosives ready to detonate cupboard doors -- used in meth houses to keep enemies at bay. Local law enforcement SWAT team members next will train in September, possibly in a house simulating a meth lab with several dangerous scenarios. Effects On Firefighting It usually is firefighters' goal to attack a fire, sometimes from the inside out, to stop damage as quickly as possible, but meth will affect that, too, because firefighting gear isn't enough to block all the toxic chemicals, Phillips said. "The trend that you're going to see in these fires is if no lives are threatened, we're going to let that fire burn," he said. "We'll risk our lives to save lives, but we can't risk our members' lives just to save property," he added. "We'll take more of a defensive approach." Firefighters for the Salem Fire Department, which has a state-recognized hazmat team, also have been trained in identifying meth labs and chemicals because of the problem locally. There's no doubt that Salem firefighters have been exposed to hazardous chemicals before they knew a fire was in a meth lab, said Bill Holmstrom, the public-education specialist for the Salem Fire Department. "When we respond to incidents, we're responding to the unknown," said Mark Prince, the division chief and hazmat coordinator for the Salem Fire Department. Firefighters can be inside the burning building and not wearing more protection than their normal firefighting equipment "before it's determined this is a lab situation that has gone bad," he said. "The firefighters could expose themselves to extremely hazardous situations." - ---------- Meth Labs Where and What: Meth labs may be set up in basements, campgrounds, rest areas, rental homes, motel rooms, abandoned cars, garages, storage sheds and vacant buildings. A typical meth lab looks like a collection of chemical bottles, glassware, hoses and pressurized cylinders. Dangerous brew: Every meth recipe starts with over-the-counter medications containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine. The pills are crushed and mixed with other chemicals: acids, bases, metals, solvents and salts. Making meth with these chemicals can result in explosions, chemical fires and the release of toxic gases. Recognizing meth labs: Clues that might indicate meth production include strong chemical odors; chemical containers such as cans of Freon, Coleman Fuel, alcohol and antifreeze; extra trash, unusual quantities of cold medicines, plastic tubing or cat litter; glassware or cookware, especially hot plates, chemical flasks and propane cylinders; the presence of cameras or other security measures; short-term foot traffic or car traffic, especially at night; blacked-out windows; and residents who are paranoid and behave oddly. If you suspect a meth lab: Do not enter the building. Immediately call your local police department. Meth labs present extreme dangers from fire, explosions and exposure to hazardous chemicals. Breathing chemical fumes or handling unknown substances can cause injury and even kill. - -------------------------------- Local Meth Problem In Marion County, according to Keizer police: 80 percent to 90 percent of all property crimes are related to meth. 50 percent of all domestic-violence cases involve meth. 30 percent of all child-abuse cases involve meth. 35 percent of area's meth is made locally. Information: Contact No Meth -- Not in My Neighborhood by calling (503) 581-1466, Ext. 301, or go to www.nomethnotinmy neighborhood.org - --- MAP posted-by: Beth