Thomas, who's served with MERIT for eight years, said he doesn't get nervous when he puts on the hazmat suit and walks into a potentially dangerous situation. MERIT team members in hazmat suits have Bluetooth voice communication back to the command trailer, have air quality sensors with them, and go into a hazardous area in pairs.

And the team trains twice a year, he said.

"You get a little excited as you're getting ready, getting prepared," Thomas said. "We do a lot of this thing."

Mirla Valadez, a Verizon field technician and four-year MERIT member, said she'll definitely be nervous the first time she goes into a hazardous area. "You have to focus that energy," she said.

The hazmat team is a necessary role, team members said. Asked why they joined MERIT, some team members gave general answers about a long-term interest in emergency response.