Emergency personnel from the Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon and nearby jurisdictions on Tuesday conducted a drill involving the accidental release of mustard blister agent and other crises, the Hermiston Herald reported (see GSN, May 1, 2008).
The scenario called for a security worker at the installation to suffer a heart attack and crash his vehicle into a truck transporting bulk containers of the chemical warfare material. Mustard agent is spilled and three workers suffer injuries.
"There will be flames and smoke," said Paul Carnithan, an emergency preparedness official with the Army Chemical Materials Agency. "One or more containers will be on fire."
Crucial personnel made their way to the depot's operations center, which when fully staffed was sealed to prevent any fumes from entering. Personnel at the depot's chemical weapons incinerator and other facilities were ordered to shelter in place for a time.
While the operations center monitored the situation at the depot, off-site emergency crews were dealing with their own troubles.
"Stanfield will have a vehicle accident between a farm vehicle carrying metham sodium (a common chemical used on farms which has the similar symptoms as mustard) and a pick-up," said Cheryl Seigal Layman, a specialist with the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program . "In Prosser (Wash.), officials had an emergency plan they wanted to practice, so they will have a train accident with the same chemical."
A review of the various emergency responses is scheduled for Monday (Karen Hutchinson-Talaski, Hermiston Herald, April 23).