Hazardous Materials For First Responders. It is intended as a primary text for all personnel seeking to qualify as Awareness- and/or operational -level responders to hazardous materials and as a reference text for those who have all ready qualified.This manual primarily addresses NFPA 472, Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents. Covers guidelines (for terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction) for awareness level and performance level A (operational Level) for firefighters and law enforcement officers.