Firemen Assess The Accident Situation Upon Arriving At The Hazmat Transportation Exercise.

Firemen Practice

A Treatment Area Was Set Up As Part Of The Triage Process.

Victims Are Removed From A Vehicle By The Emergency Responders.

O’Brien County Emergency Management Agency helped plan and coordinate a hazmat transportation exercise on April 8, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the parking lot of Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn high school in Hartley. The purpose of the exercise was to give emergency responders and healthcare partners the chance to practice working through a hazardous material transportation incident.
The scenario involved a multi-vehicle accident. The pickup truck involved in the accident had unsecured tanks that were thrown from the vehicle and damaged. The tanks were releasing a gas substance. The Hartley Emergency Responders were able to practice initial response actions, staging, hazard identification, hazard control tactics, operational communication, operational coordination, rescue, decontamination,  triaging patients,  and treatment of patients.
This scenario also involved healthcare coalition participation. This exercise simulated that the plume of gas was traveling towards Community Memorial Health Center/MercyOne Clinic. Community Memorial Health Center (CMHC) staff practiced following their shelter-in-place emergency plan. 
The Hazmat Transportation Exercise received participation from the Hartley Police Department, Hartley Fire, Hartley Ambulance, O’Brien County Communications Center,  O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office,  Community Memorial Health Center,  O’Brien County Healthcare Coalition facilities and O’Brien County Emergency Management.
CMHC practiced following their shelter-in-place emergency plan which provides answers to the question: What would you need to do if you can’t evacuate your facility due to the hazard that surrounds or is near your facility?  CMHC staff practiced their procedures for operational communication, operational coordination, personal accountability, and securing the facility.
O’Brien County EMA reported receiving positive feedback following the exercise.  Participants enjoyed having the opportunity to work through this exercise scenario.
LEPC 3 helped support this exercise. O’Brien County is a member of Iowa Local Emergency Planning Committee 3, which includes the counties of O’Brien, Lyon, Sioux, Osceola, Dickinson, Clay and Buena Vista. The mission of Iowa’s Local Emergency Planning Committees is to assist in improving communities’ preparedness for handling chemical accidents, promoting cooperation among state and local government and industry, and increasing public awareness of chemicals in the community.
O’Brien County EMA greatly appreciates everyone’s help in making this exercise successful, including HMS for allowing the use of their parking lot for this exercise.