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In mid April, 2012 several train cars began leaking chemicals in the rainy Village of Lordstown, Ohio. Luckily for the citizens of Lordstown, this was only part of a disaster response training exercise for local first responders.
- Emergency rescue vehicles line the train tracks where the faux chemical spill has taken place.
Each year in conjunction with the Emergency Management Agency, members of the Local Emergency Planning Committee proctor a drill to test the emergency response plans of local agencies and improve the responses to a variety of different situations.
- Shawn Bryant (foreground) of Penn Care was in attendance to help contribute his knowledge of disaster response solutions.
“Because we are using this as a test to see what our local emergency responders are capable of, we don’t release a great deal of information until the day of the drill,†said Linda Beil, director of the Trumbull County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “That way they aren’t already familiar with the situation and know what to expect.â€
Drills may cover any kind of disaster, including bus crashes, hazardous material spills, or even terrorist situations. Each county is required to complete a hazardous material drill each year, which may be a tabletop-style drill or an actual live event. Each county is also required to do a full-scale disaster every four years.
“In the event of any type of disaster it might certainly require a call for a multi-agency or multi-jurisdictional response,†Beil said. “It’s nice to know the capabilities of our counterparts, and the more we practice together the more coordinated and fluid our responses will be during an actual event.â€
“We are testing our own people. We want to make sure we are prepared for any emergency that might happen in this county,†she stated.
Firefighters were not told what to expect until they arrived on the scene Saturday. A train pulling tankers of chlorine and acetone ruptured, starting a fire and releasing chlorine into the air. Led by the Lordstown Fire Department, along with departments from the Trumbull County Water Shuttle, crews sprayed the train with water to remove contaminants. Dressed in protective clothing, members of the Trumbull County hazardous materials team contained the chemical leak.
What kind of disaster response drills have you utilized to ensure that you’re ready when the time is right? Please leave us a comment below or contact us to share your contribution!
HazMat Experts and Firefighters petition Dow Chemical and Union Pacific for safe rail tank cars transporting gas chlorine. Secondary containment is a necessary improvement that must be implemented. See–PETITION C KIT for First Responders Comments.