Real-Life Incident: Superior Fire Department Drug Bust

G7 helps HAZMAT team safely navigate Wisconsin's largest DMT lab

When Superior Wisconsin Fire Department received the call, the situation was anything but clear. The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) had contacted them to ready their HAZMAT team to assist with a suspected drug lab in a nearby county. What unfolded would become the largest dimethyltryptamine (DMT) lab discovery in the state—and an operation that would test the team's skills, instincts, and technology.

DMT—also known as Dimitri, Fantasia or the Rogan on the street—is a powerful psychedelic drug causing intense hallucinations.

Bob Zimmerman, fire battalion chief with Superior Fire Department, explained that initial intelligence was limited. "We were treating it essentially as an unknown,” he said. Local law enforcement had entered the structure days earlier for a routine eviction and found clues that didn’t line up with a normal residence. Photos were taken, and the local police quickly backed out. 

That’s where Superior’s HAZMAT team stepped in to investigate.

A Baseline Into the Unknown

With few details about the interior or chemical makeup of the suspected lab, the team defaulted to standard HAZMAT protocol—metering/atmospheric testing as a baseline to ensure safety. Entry team members John Prendergast and Blake Orton were sent in, suited up in full SCBA gear and turnouts. 

Metering, specifically with Blackline Safety G7 connected multi-gas detector in this case, would prove critical in navigating a potentially hazardous environment where toxic gases or substances or fire/explosives could be present. The team had only recently received the device, but this incident served as the first real-world field test—and it passed with flying colours.

"We rely on meters to keep us safe. If we hit our turnback values, we get out. It's as simple as that." – Captain Greg Wilson, Superior Fire Department

Inside a Drug Manufacturing Operation 

Upon entering, the team discovered a drug manufacturing operation both makeshift and dangerous. Rows of mason jars were on display—mostly one-gallon, some smaller—filled with unknown substances. The scale of the operation quickly became clear. According to the Wisconsin DOJ, this would later be confirmed as the largest DMT lab ever located in the state. 

DMT is typically synthesized using bark from trees indigenous to South America and extracted with a chemical solvent—likely naphtha or acetone. That synthesis method leaves clear chemical traces. 

When the entry team opened one of the mason jars, their G7 with a 4-gas cartridge with PID sensor, instantly registered a spike: 40 parts per million (ppm) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The team’s low alarm threshold was set at 25 ppm, and the high at 50. That reading set off a yellow alert—confirming both a hazardous atmosphere and the likely presence of a chemical solvent consistent with drug synthesis.

"Right at the opening of the container, we were getting VOCs. It jumped right away.” – John Prendergast, Entry Team Member

Thanks to reliable metering data, they could confirm that fumes remained contained and non-lethal. This assurance allowed DOJ investigators to proceed with evidence collection while the HAZMAT team remained on standby conducting air monitoring and secondary tests—including explosive (LEL) checks. They were also able to adjust their gear appropriately—ultimately "leveling down" in PPE to improve mobility and efficiency, while still maintaining safety.

VOCs: Hidden Hazards 

Forty parts per million VOCs were detected upon opening a mason jar—far surpassing the team’s low alarm threshold of 25 ppm and confirming hazardous solvent use on-site. At high levels, VOCs are notorious for their adverse health effects, affecting the central nervous system and throat.

Technology Speeds Response

What set the G7 apart, according to the team, was its speed and reliability. While competitive meters could take 7 to 13 minutes to warm up and stabilize, the Blackline unit was ready to deploy in just five. In a scenario where time was critical, this saved precious minutes and streamlined operations. 

"I tested it. The Blackline device was up and running in five minutes flat. That’s what gave me the confidence to use it." – Blake Orton, Entry Team Member

In the end, no responders were injured, the scene was secured, and the DOJ was able to dismantle a major drug operation safely. For Superior’s HAZMAT’s team, it was a high-stakes validation of their training and new technology. 

As Wilson put it: “Whether you’re going into a structure fire or a drug lab, it’s all about safety first. And tools like G7 give us the data to make those calls confidently.” 

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