[StBernard] Mock disaster drill led by ExxonMobil Refinery in Chalmette

[Westley Annis]

Mock disaster drill led by ExxonMobil Refinery in Chalmette
Print NOLA Community By NOLA Community 
on January 20, 2014 at 7:34 AM, updated January 20, 2014 at 7:39 AM

Groups involved said they were pleased with a recent mock disaster drill
held by the ExxonMobil Refinery in Chalmette, which included parish
government and its Fire Department, the Sheriff’s Office, St. Bernard
Hospital and Prompt Succor School.

“I thought it was a good community test,’’ Parish Fire Chief Thomas Stone
said. “It was a test for the refinery, the closest school which is Our Lady
of Prompt Succor, the parish’s First Call system for notifying residents,
the Sheriff’s Office and St. Bernard Hospital.’’

The drill showed “good cooperation between industry and government,’’ Stone
said afterward, adding, “We are lucky’’ because that type of working
together isn’t always true in other parishes.

Sheriff James Pohlmann said, “It’s important to practice for possible
emergencies in St. Bernard Parish to make sure there is cooperation between
groups before you might have to deal with the real thing. We were glad to
take part.’’

Guy Swinford of Exxon Mobil, which hosted the drill, was in charge of
refinery response, working in a command center and receiving reports from
the field. Maj. Mark Poche of the Sheriff’s Office, Parish Government
Homeland Security Director John Rahaim and Fire Department officials Deputy
Chief Glenn Ellis, Kane Bruder and Mike Moolekamp were also in the center
and talking to other personnel,

The emergency simulation involved a scenario of a two-vehicle accident
within the plant, with a truck leaking hydro fluoric acid, which can cause
chemical burns to lungs and skin burns. Immediate irrigation of eyes also is
required. The driver of one truck needed to be de-contaminated and examined
after the crash.

I thought it was a good community test. Parish Fire Chief Thomas Stone
The Sheriff’s Office shut down intersections near the affected area of the
drill nearest the plant in Chalmette and in a real emergency would use a
public address system to tell residents to shelter in their homes or to
evacuate.

Parish government used its First Call emergency notification system to
notify about 400 residents within a ½-mile area outside the refinery about
the drill, officials said. More than 300 of the calls, or about 80 percent,
were delivered, they said.

St. Bernard Parish residents should enroll in the First Call system, parish
government officials said, by going online to www.sbpg.net to be notified
about emergencies by cell phone and receive instructions on what to do. Or
they can enroll by calling the parish Office of Emergency Preparedness at
(504) 278-4268.

Information on land lines for homes and businesses is already in the
parish’s 911 data base.

A shelter-in-place was called for residents instead of an evacuation.

The nearest school to the refinery, Our Lady of Prompt Succor School on
Paris Road, took part and students there were instructed to shelter in place
inside the building.

St. Bernard Hospital official Wayne Landry said he was pleased with the
hospital’s response, saying such drills “keep our staff prepared for any
disasters, spills or any other emergency situation.’’

The information in this article and pictures were provided by the St.
Bernard Sheriff's Office Director of Public Information Steve Cannizaro.