Modesto hazmat heads to Super Bowl. Only three teams selected statewide
While tens of thousands of fans prepare to attend Super Bowl festivities in the Bay Area , a small group of Modesto firefighters is working largely out of public view. It’s preparing for emergencies that, even if they occur, most spectators will never see.
Five members of the Modesto Fire Department’s hazardous materials team were deployed Wednesday to assist with safety coverage tied to Super Bowl events, part of a statewide emergency response effort.
The firefighters are working alongside hazmat teams from Fresno and Tracy as part of a California Office of Emergency Services deployment covering multiple venues across the region, primarily in San Francisco. The team is expected to return Sunday night after the Super Bowl concludes, according to Modesto Battalion Chief and Hazmat Team Leader Ed Bartley.
“The primary role is to assist local, state and federal resources with any needs in regards to identifying hazards or hazmat-related responses,” Bartley said.
Hazmat teams often operate quietly during major public events, but they play a critical role in overall security planning. Crews are trained to detect and respond to chemical, biological and environmental hazards, as well as suspicious substances or materials that could pose risks to large crowds.
Modesto’s hazmat team is among the most specialized in California. Only three of the state’s 12 “Type 1” hazmat teams — the highest level of hazardous materials response designation — were selected to assist with Super Bowl-related operations. The selected teams include Modesto Fire, South County Fire Authority in Tracy and Fresno Fire.
“It’s a huge honor to be selected,” Bartley said.
The deployment highlights the growing role of regional emergency coordination during large-scale events that draw national and international attention. Hazmat crews frequently work alongside law enforcement, fire agencies, federal partners and emergency planners to prepare for worst-case scenarios, even though most deployments never result in major incidents.
Bartley said Modesto firefighters have participated in several large-scale deployments since the department earned its Type 1 hazmat designation. The Super Bowl assignment also serves as preparation for upcoming global sporting events scheduled in California, including World Cup soccer matches and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The training and coordination required for such events, Bartley said, help ensure emergency responders across the state can operate seamlessly together if needed.
For Modesto firefighters, the assignment reflects both the department’s technical capabilities and its expanding role in statewide emergency response efforts — even when the work happens far from home and largely outside the public spotlight.
