SIDNEY — The Shelby County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will hold its annual exercise on Friday, April 15, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the city of Sidney. The full-scale exercise will focus on preparing emergency responders to effectively respond to a chemical release – both with technical skills and appropriate community support resources – and to test the LEPC’s chemical emergency response and preparedness plan.
This year’s exercise, in particular, is exciting because of the many organizations and scenario components involved, said Cheri Drinkwine, Shelby County Emergency Management Agency director.
“CSX Transportation and Trupointe Coop have been gracious enough to participate in the exercise,” said Drinkwine. “The exercise is to take place near the Trupointe facility, involving a simulated chemical release from a CSX rail car. Wilson Health will be tasked with conducting simulated decontamination measures and the Northern Miami Valley Red Cross will set up a community shelter. Additionally, the Ohio National Guard’s 52nd Civil Support Team will be involved with the exercise. Student volunteers from Lehman High School and other residents will act out the part of affected community members during the exercise.”
Local fire, law enforcement and emergency medical personnel, along with the Shelby County Hazardous Materials Team will be evaluated on their response, protective actions, and safety practices. Local evaluators and an Ohio Emergency Management Agency (OEMA) facilitator will offer comments to be compiled in an After Action Report and filed with the Ohio State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The After Action Report will be publicly released at the May 24th LEPC meeting, and will include state and county recommendations for future training, equipment, and response procedures.
The Shelby County LEPC develops and submits a county-wide chemical emergency response and preparedness plan, or updates to the plan to the Ohio SERC annually for review and concurrence. An exercise of the plan must be conducted annually. Although the main emphasis of the LEPC is related to chemical emergency preparedness and response, the committee is also involved in other relevant issues of emergency preparation.
Participation in this full-scale exercise is part of CSX’s commitment to working closely with first responders to increase awareness of safe practices around railroad operations, and prepare for potential rail-related incidents. CSX will bring its Safety Train to Sidney for the entire week prior to the exercise, to conduct classroom and hands-on training for first responders in Shelby County and the surrounding area.
The Safety Train includes a classroom car, tank cars and flat rail cars fitted with a variety of valves so that first responders can practice safe response tactics in a near real world environment. The CSX Safety Train is just one of several programs through which CSX offers training and recognition to emergency responders and customers.
CSX has reached more than 100,000 first responders over the past six years, through hands-on sessions, classroom training at local fire stations, exercises and table-top drills, web-based and self-study training courses and the Safety Train. In 2015, CSX also hosted Emergency Management Agencies, including the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, at its Railroad Education and Development Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, for week-long training sessions on railroad emergency response.
