Chemical Will Be Released in Rail Car, Victims Rescued in ACHMM Response Drill
As part of its 2007 national conference, the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers will team with the Northern Virginia Regional Response Team and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority to hold a "live" emergency response simulation in order to answer the question, "What if Washington's metro had a hazmat emergency?" The hands-on training scenario will present a hazardous material spill aboard a Washington, D.C., Metrorail system subway car on Aug. 13 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at WMATA's training center in Landover, Md. Participants will observe the hazmat team response, including detection, monitoring, decontamination and rescue following the release of a chemical in the rail car.
Presenting this scenario will be the Arlington Fire Department and its Hazardous Materials Team, the Alexandria Fire Department Hazardous Material Team, the Pentagon Hazardous Material Team and WMATA trainers.
"This year's emergency response scenario addresses a critical area in terms of the nation's security," said Steve Laughlin, CHMM, ACHMM Emergency Response Scenario Committee Chair. Each year, the emergency response scenario is an anticipated element of the ACHMM national conference and the more than 1,000 environmental, health, security, and safety professionals who attend. For this year's conference, slated for August 12 to 15 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, developers said they are making the most of the access offered by its proximity to Washington for its attendees.
"Since the 9/11 attacks, Metro and the Washington, D.C., area have become very prepared to deal with emergency situations, and we believe that participants in this drill will learn a great deal," said Arlington Fire Department Captain Thomas Chamblin. "We want to share our expertise to help train more people to deal with extraordinary circumstances."
To register for the conference and the emergency response scenario, visit www.achmm.org.