Dear SAS Members & Friends,

We invite you to our next NY/NJ SAS Monthly Virtual Meeting on Thursday, August 21, at 12:00 PM (noon).

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83736583642?pwd=OgaeT4tya9jVRm2xWsobjJlKPu9EPV.1
Login: 11:50 AM - 1:30 PM (EST)

Title: “You Have No Idea: FTIR Applications for Downrange HazMat Operations”

Speakers: Dr. Mark Norman of (908 Devices) and Mr. Brandon Gayle (Gayle Training Solutions, LLC)

Date/Time: August 21, 2025, 12:00 PM -1:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Abstract:
Since the early 2000’s, in the wake of 9/11 and the subsequent anthrax attacks, emergency response teams have adopted FTIR technology for their downrange operations. Initially, the focus was on FTIR / ATR for solid and liquid identification. More recently, technological advancements have made it possible for FTIR to be used for gas and vapor identification. This presentation dives into the technological advancements and associated capabilities of handheld FTIR devices which empower HazMat teams to identify and quantify gaseous chemical threats in real time, even in the most challenging environments. You will learn how this portable technology works with other air monitoring techniques to enhance decision-making, reduce response times, and improve responder safety during incidents involving hazardous gases and vapors.

Speaker Bios:
Mr. Brandon Gayle is the Owner of Gayle Training Solutions, LLC and provides training and consulting services in the field of hazardous materials and counter-terrorism response with a focus in training on the use of response technologies. Brandon began his career as a firefighter in 1995 and retired as a Lieutenant in 2024. His entire fire service career was devoted to being a hazardous materials responder and instructor. He has trained over 150 Hazardous Materials Teams across the country, more than 60 military units and federal agencies, as well as eight foreign governments in this and related fields. Brandon specializes in teaching Chemistry of Hazardous Materials, chemical detection and identification technologies, and field sampling methodologies to First Responders and DOD personnel. Some of the detection and identification technologies he trains include various air monitoring technologies, Ion Mobility Spectrometry, FTIR Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, High Pressure Mass-Spectrometry, and GC Mass Spectrometry. He has contracted with several manufacturers and distributors of handheld and portable devices to train their customers in the field application and use of these instruments. In recent years, Brandon has provided consulting services on the development of new sensor technologies and new applications of existing optical technologies.

Dr. Mark L. Norman is a Senior Field Applications Scientist and Optical Technology Subject Matter Expert for 908 Devices. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from West Virginia Wesleyan College and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His graduate research focused on the infrared spectroscopic properties of stratospheric aerosols, and he is an author on seven peer-reviewed publications, including a 2003 collaboration with global climatology scientists from NASA. Since his professional career began in 2001, Dr. Norman has worked with detection technologies for emergency response, and he is an inventor on two patents for the development of hazardous gas and vapor identification systems. He has developed and delivered numerous scenario-based training courses for chemical detectors and has taught chemical science courses including General Chemistry and Quantitative Chemical Analysis at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. In addition to FTIR and Raman optical technologies, Dr. Norman’s other areas of analytical expertise include IR lasers, broadband and hyperspectral IR imaging, high-pressure mass spectrometry, and chemical sensing.

Zoom Link Details:
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Meeting ID: 837 3658 3642
Passcode: 206496
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