What defines individuals trained to respond in a defensive capacity?

Individuals trained to respond in a defensive capacity are defined at the first responder operations level. This level of training equips responders with the skills to recognize hazardous substances and take appropriate action to protect themselves and the public. They are not equipped to directly engage with or mitigate the source of a hazardous material release; instead, their role is to contain and control the situation from a safe distance and establish perimeters or cordon off affected areas.

Other training levels, such as the firefighter operations level, focus on broader firefighting capabilities and tactics but do not specifically emphasize defensive responses to hazardous materials. The emergency response level encompasses a wider base of emergency management activities but lacks the specific focus on hazardous materials response that the first responder operations level imparts. Meanwhile, hazardous material technician level training involves advanced skills for direct intervention and remediation of hazardous incidents, which is beyond the defensive role defined in the context of the question.