Field exercise provides vital emergency training

Andy Comber / Essex Free Press

As part of a mock disaster, emergency personnel wearing hazardous material suits tend to a leaking tanker truck during a live training exercise at the Honeywell plant in Amherstburg, May 26.

By Andy Comber - June 3, 2009

We have no idea when a serious emergency is going to happen, but training to deal with such an incident is critical to being prepared in the event the worst happens.

Emergency, health, community support, industry and government personnel took part in an annual municipal and regional training initiative, Exercise Spring Day III, held in Amherstburg and Essex, May 26-27. It was developed to test the various aspects of emergency preparedness and emergency response plans and capabilities across the region.

This year the training included a field exercise and live demonstration at the Honeywell site in Amherstburg.

Honeywell provided a training transport truck for the emergency scenario that included a hazardous material spill of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (AHF), a clear, colourless, corrosive fuming liquid with an extremely acrid odour.

Commonly used in the refining process of fuels, AHF forms dense white vapour clouds if released. Both liquid and vapour can cause severe burns to all parts of the body, requiring specialized medical treatment for all exposures.

In the scenario, a driver was unconscious in the cab of the truck, incapacitated by leaking chemical gases. Emergency personnel, including firefighters and paramedics, donned protective gear and hazardous material (HAZMAT) suits, just as they would in case of an actual incident of this nature, to extricate the driver and secure the leaking chemical.

The transport of hazardous materials is common on our roadways, and by rail, making this training essential for emergency preparedness, said Phil Berthiaume, emergency management coordinator for Essex County.

"We're very grateful to Honeywell for providing us with this opportunity for some hands-on training," he said.

"This is a very timely scenario," Berthiaume said.

An incident involving these types of trucks took place in March when a truck carrying 33,000 pounds of hydrogen fluoride from Ontario to Philadelphia overturned, prompting a nine-hour evacuation of about 5,000 people in northeastern Pennsylvania.

"Fortunately, there was no spill in that case," Berthiaume said. "Disasters are not planned, but we can plan how we would deal with them."

Emergency personnel said the exercise also serves to test various modes of communication, such as satellite phones, BGAN wireless internet connections and ARES networks.

"Communication is vital when dealing with any emergency," said Essex Fire Chief Ed Pillon.

Honeywell delivers hydrogen fluoride via railcar and tanker truck. The custom-designed trucks and trailers are equipped with satellite tracking systems to allow the company to pinpoint their location at any time, day or night. Honeywell requires extensive training for the driver teams, which consist of a two-person crew regardless of travel distance.