Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures Test: Do You Know What To Do During a Community-Wide Chemical Emergency?
Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures Test scheduled for 9/14/2022 about 8:30AM
CSEPP (the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program)
Would you know what to do during a community-wide chemical emergency?
Every year, the Madison County Emergency Management Agency/Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (EMA/CSEPP) conducts a community-wide disaster exercise. This exercise is evaluated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and it is meant to test emergency response and evacuation protocols within and around Madison County. Eastern Kentucky University participates in the exercise, by convening our Crisis Management Team, and discussing emergency operations, in a manner that normally does not affect the typical operations of the University. We plan to continue our participation, by encouraging everyone, who is able and willing, to review and consider how you would protect yourself during a CSEPP emergency.
You can be more involved by either, pausing and reviewing the Emergency Action Plan or the Chemical Release Response Manual located at https://emergency.eku.edu, or by reviewing the information links at the bottom of this article. Taking a moment to review our plans (either alone, with your class, or with fellow peers) will help you be better prepared to react and respond to various emergencies. Please note that there will be no operational impact to our facilities during the exercise.
The Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program is a joint venture between the United States Army and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist state and local governments to improve emergency planning and preparedness in communities near chemical weapons storage sites.
The Blue Grass Army Depot, in Madison County Kentucky, stored approximately 2% of the nation’s original chemical weapons stockpile. The type of chemical agent stored there is GB (sarin, a nerve agent). CSEPP communities have been recognized nationally for their abilities to respond to emergencies of all kinds. A chemical weapons destruction facility has been constructed and demilitarization operations are currently underway. The chemical demilitarization process is anticipated to be complete in 2023.
The community-wide Annual CSEPP Exercise is scheduled for Wednesday, September 14, 2022. We will not know the exact start time for the community-wide Annual CSEPP Exercise, but it typically begins around (or after) 8:30 AM. The exercise will begin with a test of the outdoor warning siren, and the indoor advisor alert radio, systems. Westminster Chimes, rather than the chemical alternating high/low wailing siren, will be used to start the exercise. We will perform a test of our EKU Alerts system along with the siren test.
You should know that if a chemical release occurred at the Blue Grass Army Depot, you would be given instructions, to move to any one of our Enhanced Shelter-In-Place (ESIP) Buildings. These include:
• Alumni Coliseum
• Combs Building
• Dizney Building
• Perkins Building
• University Building
• Whitlock Building
• Model Gymnasium (Note: Model Gym is reserved exclusively for the Model population's use)
Click here for an Infographic about Chemical Incidents
Click here for a Map showing the ESIP Buildings
EKU Community-Wide Chemical Release Response Video (What you should do on the EKU Richmond Campus)
Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this important exercise.
Published on August 31, 2022