As the clean-up of the Aug. 3 train derailment north of Airdrie continues, the City’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is working around the clock, prepared for any situation that may arise from the incident.
Nine cars carrying anhydrous ammonia, a popular fertilizer for farmers, came off the track in the early morning hours of Aug. 3, resulting in a large emergency response from many different agencies that make up Airdrie’s EOC.
Alberta Health, Alberta Emergency Management, City of Calgary, Airdrie RCMP, Airdrie Fire Department and a number of City departments are a few of the agencies that come together in an emergency.
“There are no leaks,” said Disaster Services Director of Community Safety and acting City Manager Mark Locking. “Our goal is to get the information out to the public, and look at a number of different scenarios and plan for them.”
While the integrity of the tankers is sound, the possibility of flareups, or small leaks causing minor odours in the area can be expected during offloading.
The clean-up is expected to take a number of days. The highly-controlled process is designed to ensure minimal risk to residents.
Locking urges everyone to visit the City’s website for more information.
The plan includes information on what residents should do in case of emergency. Locking said residents should be prepared to make sure windows and doors are closed and locked, furnace, air conditioning and exhaust fans are turned off, and use a small room in the house to protect themselves from the chemical outside. In an emergency situation, Airdronians would be asked not to pick up children from daycare or school, and not to leave their home or travel.
Detailed instructions on staying safe with the City’s emergency plan, the shelter-in-place procedure, can be found at www.airdrie.ca
