The Local Emergency Planning Committee had their first quarterly meeting of 2019 last Thursday.
The highlight of the meeting was a presentation through Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad which was delivered by Enviromental Works Inc. Executive Vice President John Rode. EWI is a contractor through BNSF which assists with response to hazardous material spills.
BNSF Hazardous Materials Field Operations and Emergency Response Manager Derrek Lampkin was originally set to deliver the presentation but was unable to attend.
Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell explains the presentation focused on the response of BNSF in the event of a hazardous material spill on the railway.
Fell adds that hazardous spills can originate from several sources including hazardous waste, propane trucks and even anhydrous ammonia tanks and are not limited to just railway transportation. He says while hazardous spills are rare in the area, having these quarterly meetings are essential to be prepared in the event a spill were to occur.
The LEPC maintains partnerships with local private industries, healthcare providers and local governmental entities which all had representation at the meeting last Thursday. Fell says having those representatives present ensures they understand what is not only expected of them but others as well.
Supervisor of Construction and Maintenance for Westar Energy Rolland Trahoon II was in attendance and says the quarterly meetings also allow time for each local entity to strengthen their relationships with one another.
Also during the meeting Rode presented a case study detailing the release of oil in another community and the process and steps taken by BNSF to minimize the impact on the area affected.
For more information on the LEPC contact Emergency Management through the Emergency Communications Center by calling 620-341-3205.
