The course turns NIOSH findings from the Greene County explosion into tactics and policy updates for rapid reefer ID, construction/insulation risks, reefer-specific size-up and chief readiness

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. — Chatham County Fire will launch a free training program on refrigerated container hazards in January 2026, developed in response to the line-of-duty death of Greene County Battalion Chief Chris Eddy, who was killed when a reefer container with frozen chicken exploded.

In a social media post, the department said Fire Chief Rodney Wiggins developed the specialized course to address lessons from the 2024 incident and improve responder safety, WTOC reported.

“This wasn’t just a tragic accident,” Wiggins said. “This was a wake-up call for all of us in emergency services.”

The subsequent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigation identified major contributing factors, including lax SOPs/SOGs, poor hazard recognition, inadequate risk/benefit analysis and staffing issues. The report calls for fire departments to improve written policies, ensure incident commanders focus on command (not operations), establish control zones and integrate risk assessment into tactics to prevent similar tragedies.

According to course materials, training will emphasize rapid identification of reefer units through visual and documentation clues, and explain why seemingly non-hazardous cargo can still present significant risks. Instructors will detail how container construction and insulation influence fire behavior and overhaul. The course will also outline initial response steps tailored to reefer incidents, including size-up and risk assessment to protect crews.

The program also targets chief-level readiness, urging departments to stress-test staffing, SOPs/SOGs, communications and mutual-aid triggers, and to pre-plan the use of state resources. A dedicated module reviews lessons from the Battalion Chief Chris Eddy incident and associated NIOSH findings, with guidance on translating those lessons into updated policies, procedures and practical, on-scene changes.

Has your department reviewed and trained on the information in the NIOSH report from this LODD? What contributing factors and recommendations did you focus on?

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