The Clinton County Hazardous Materials Response Team got it's inception in 1992 with the hiring of the county's first Hazardous Materials Coordinator. The hiring was a joint effort between the Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Clinton County Board of Commissioners. The response team later grew in size through the interest shown by the response team personnel from the industries located within Clinton County. Over the past 10 years the team has fluctuated in numbers of personnel. At it's peak, during the mid to late 90's, the response team maintained a roster of 35 personnel. Currently, the response team has a membership consisting of 13 personnel.

In January of 2000, the Hazardous Materials Department was consolidated with the Clinton County Office of Emergency Management. Following this consolidation, a new purpose and mission for the Hazardous Materials Response Program in Clinton County was adopted. This new mission places more focus on planning and education of emergency responders of all levels, as well as education of the response team personnel. Our new mission in emergency response is to function as a support team to the contracted or certified hazardous materials response team. Additionally, the response team personnel are trained to perform defensive practices and operations when on the scene of a hazardous materials emergency.