L.A. County Fire Department officials conducted a drill, hosted by local pool chemical manufacturer HASA, to simulate a “worst-case scenario,” officials said Wednesday, as giant plumes of simulated smoke filled the sky above a rail car parked near the business.
The three-hour drill that started around 9 a.m. was intended to help first responders, which included Fire, a Hazmat team and the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, prepare for what would happen if chlorine leaked from one of the trains that delivers the chemicals to the plant.
L.A. County Division III Fire Chief Pat Sprengel said sheriff’s deputies were at the ready to assist in any simulated evacuation efforts, but none of the neighboring businesses were emptied during the drill.
“It’s a worst-case scenario (drill) because we have sensors that would shut it down automatically,” said Gary Barancik, director of safety for HASA, “but this is good practice and we’re not afraid to fail either, because that’s how you learn.”
The drill was an opportunity for HASA to practice its building-evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency, Barancik added, saying that previously employees would come to the front parking lot on Railroad Avenue in the event of an emergency, but the wind patterns indicated that it would make more sense to shelter-in-place in the back.
The drill simulated three injured patients, ranging from minor to severe, and potential evacuations due to the release, according to Sprengel.
“Typically, we like to drill where we have a potential for an event,” Sprengel said, adding the choice of venue followed the same logic as the agency using a large warehouse to simulate a large commercial building fire.
“It’s also a good opportunity for both their personnel and our personnel to work together and be able to run through an emergency scenario on a high-risk, low-frequency event,” he added.
The Fire Department has four fully equipped Hazmat teams that respond to situations throughout the county, according to Kirk Nelson, Hazmat coordinator for the department.
A county the size of Los Angeles receives about 3,400 calls a day regarding potentially hazardous materials, Nelson said, but a large majority of those situations are considered static, e.g. a barrel on the road that needs to be retrieved — as opposed to a dynamic one, such as a chemical spill with potential injury concerns.
Minor or static incidents are often handled by county-trained health and hazardous materials staff in Public Works, whereas more emergent situations require the Hazmat team, he added. Each year, the four teams respond to about 300 calls that rise to the level of what might be considered an incident.
HASA, which has its corporate headquarters next to its Saugus facility, also has offices in Arizona, Washington and Texas.
The 60-year-old Santa Clarita Valley company touts itself as a leader in the production and distribution “of high-quality water treatment products used to sanitize and maintain water systems, including swimming pools, water tanks and containment vessels,” according to its website.
