ASHLEY, Ind. (WLKI)- Emergency responders and government officials from DeKalb and Steuben counties gathered Thursday to test how they would respond to a school bus crash involving hazardous chemicals.
More than 50 people participated in the tabletop exercise at the Ashley Community Center. The group included law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency management personnel, local officials, school representatives, amateur radio operators and members of the American Red Cross.
According to exercise organizers, the simulated emergency involved a school bus carrying 15 children colliding with a semi at Grand Avenue and Lincoln Street in Ashley. The semi's trailer contained 14 totes filled with acetic acid, ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid.
The scenario called for several containers to rupture, releasing acetic and sulfuric acid. Diesel fuel was also leaking onto the road.
Several children were injured in the simulated crash, while the bus driver reported neck pain. The truck driver was unresponsive inside the cab.
Responders were told that firefighters and law enforcement officers arriving at the scene began experiencing sneezing, chest pain, hoarseness and respiratory irritation. A north-northeast wind also threatened to carry a chemical vapor cloud toward nearby homes, the Ashley fire station and the community center.
Participants discussed how to rescue the victims without exposing additional emergency personnel to the chemicals. Their priorities included protecting responders, stabilizing the scene, securing the surrounding area and preventing environmental contamination.
Firefighters would likely need breathing equipment and fully encapsulated protective suits to enter the hazardous area. Participants also determined that using water could worsen the chemical reaction.
Highway crews could assist with road closures, while utility and environmental officials could help prevent chemicals from entering sanitary sewers, storm drains, streams and rivers.
The exercise also examined how officials would decide whether nearby residents should evacuate or shelter in place. Participants discussed establishing evacuation centers outside the chemical plume and communicating with families about the location of students and other victims.
School resource officers and district officials would play a significant role because parents would likely travel to the scene after learning that a school bus was involved. DeKalb Central, MSD of Steuben County and Hamilton Community Schools all operate buses in or around Ashley.
Responders also discussed the need for a coordinated incident command system. As the simulated emergency expanded, officials determined that additional agencies would be needed to manage rescue operations, public communication, medical resources, evacuations and expenses.
Once the victims were removed and the spills contained, the response would shift into a long-term recovery phase. State and federal environmental agencies, the trucking company and its insurance provider could then become involved in cleanup and cost recovery.
Indiana counties are required to conduct a Local Emergency Planning Committee exercise each year. Local agencies generally alternate between tabletop discussions and functional exercises involving responders and equipment in the field.
Organizers said the exercises allow agencies to build working relationships, evaluate their response capabilities and identify gaps in training, staffing or equipment before an actual disaster occurs.