In 2005, the Ohio County Hazardous Materials Response Team was a recipient of the US Environmental Protecion Agency, Region III "Partnership Award." This award was presented at their annual conference in Baltimore Maryland.

In 1989, the Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency was named as the "Sixth Chemical Manufacturers’ Association’s Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response Location" in the nation. Operations level trained with given members of the local response agencies. The emergency management agency acquired all of the necessary equipment over the next years to outfit the team. It currently has a fleet of six Haz-Mats.

The team is now trained to the technician level with 40 members of the Wheeling Fire Department and 15 members from county volunteer fire departments. All members take required annual training.

The team no only serves the citizens of Ohio County but also functions as a regional response team serving the West Virginia and Ohio counties of Hancock, Brooke, Marshall, Wetzel, Belmont, and Jefferson.

The team has responded to various types of incidents throughout the area including a gasoline tank truck rollover in Martins Ferry, a sulfuric acid spill in Ohio County, and a mixed load of chemical from a school lab in Jefferson County.