Emergency crews drill down on hazmat training
(Photo by KEITH KINNAIRD) Bonner County Sheriff’s Deputy Rich Rembisz pulls containment boom into place on Lake Pend Oreille on Friday.
(Photo by KEITH KINNAIRD) Bonner County Sheriff’s Deputy Rich Rembsz and James Bowland of contractor Kennedy Jenks affix a float to a boom.
(Photo by KEITH KINNAIRD) The NOFI Current Buster 2's spill collection basin is seen in the foreground. In the background crews haul in a lengthy line of boom.
(Photo by KEITH KINNAIRD) The NOFI Current Buster 2 is deflated and rolled up into its trailer on Friday at the City Beach boat launch.
SANDPOINT — A detailed plan for addressing hazardous material releases on the Pend Oreille was put through the paces on Friday.
State and local emergency response agencies teamed with BNSF Railway and its contractors to conduct drills on the river and lake for positioning containment booms and deploying other spill countermeasures.
The drills involved a mock scenario in which a rail car carrying 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel wound up in the river upstream from Lake Pend Oreille. Personnel from Selkirk Fire Rescue & EMS, Bonner County and the Northside and Westside fire districts practiced setting up boom at Dover Bay and off City Beach. In the latter exercise, more than 3,000 feet of boom was towed in large segments, fitted together and stretch nearly the length of BNSF Railway’s bridge. A gap at the southern end of the span was left open so recreational boaters could still get through.
Crews also deployed the NOFI Current Buster 2, a V-shaped array of lengthy inflatable pontoons which can be used to collect spilled material on the surface of the water.
“It’s a time-consuming process. It’s a technical process and so it was a good refresher for us,” said Selkirk Fire Battalion Capt. Kevin Amorebieta.
Selkirk Fire and Bonner County personnel conducted similar exercises two years ago, although this is the first one since Bonner County developed a geographic response plan specific to the Pend Oreille basin. It’s also the first time BNSF has rolled out the Current Buster on Lake Pend Oreille.
“Burlington Northern has some absolutely amazing equipment,” said Amorebieta.
However, equipment such as the Current Buster, would likely be a couple of hours away in the event of a spill. Local first responders would likely be consumed with the primary task of containing a spill until additional help arrives. Contractors, meanwhile, would conduct cleanup operations.
Amorebieta said it was also helpful to get to know the contractors, their routines and their equipment prior to an actual hazmat spill.
Selkirk Fire has at the ready a spill containment trailer with 1,000 feet of boom. Bonner County, meanwhile, has at its immediate disposal a trailer with 3,500 feet of boom, according to Bonner County Emergency Management Director Bob Howard.
Howard said weather conditions on Friday favored the training exercises, as did fairly slack currents in the areas were the drills were being conducted.
“If you have wind or a fast current, it gets even more challenging,” said Howard.
As a result, teams will be at Johnson Creek today to train in environment where currents are more pronounced.
“We’re continuing to train. We’re continuing to build our resources and enhance our capabilities to respond to an event. I want to keep that going,” said Howard.
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.