VW, Allen counties hold hazmat exercise

VW independent/submitted information

DELPHOS — As part of state requirements, Van Wert and Allen County Emergency Management Agencies teamed up for a full-scale hazmat-readiness exercise in Delphos on Thursday morning.

According to Van Wert County EMA Director Rick McCoy, he and Allen County EMA Director Tom Berger began planning for the drill in early spring, with the intention of both counties’ resources coming together to test hazardous material preparedness in Delphos.

Two area facilities, Airgas and Crop Production Services, located just southwest of the Delphos city limits, volunteered their locations as the site for the drill. The hazmat scenario involved a likely weather event: a tornado hitting the facilities and releasing a large amount of anhydrous ammonia, while also igniting a building where chemicals were stored.

The morning began with a call being made to Van Wert County 9-1-1 dispatch advising of the incident, with the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office then coordinating with the Allen County Sheriff’s Office to dispatch necessary agencies to handle the scenario.

Several “contaminated victims” at the scene were transported to St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima by the Middle Point and Van Wert EMS squads, where they were put through the emergency room Deacon system. Fire departments practicing their skills and procedures on containing the chemicals included Delphos Fire and the Allen County Hazmat team, the Van Wert and Allen County sheriff’s offices provided assistance.

As a component of the drill, due to the presence of a “toxic cloud” over Delphos, the two county EMAs, along with the public information officers from both counties, coordinated population protection actions for Delphos residents, as well as determined how residents would be alerted to shelter-in-place or evacuate.

Red Cross chapters and health departments from both counties were tasked with establishing a shelter site in Delphos. Some volunteers also came to the shelter and registered as evacuees.

Additional communications for the drill were handled by area amateur radio operators. Also participating in the exercise were all Delphos schools and nursing homes, which practiced procedures they would follow on evacuating and maintaining people in a shelter-in-place scenario. The area Community Health Professionals organizations also determined how they could handle their clients in this type of disaster situation.

McCoy said the drill was a “great learning experience” for the 83 participants involved, and also gave the agencies in both counties a better understanding on how to effectively work together during a “real world” disaster.