Preparing for hazardous substances accidents : A rural fire departments perspective

ABSTRACT

The crapaud Fire Department is a group of thirty volunteers who serve a small community approximately 35 kilometers from Charlottetown, Frince Edward Island. The coverage area is approximately 200 square kilometres with 500 homes and 1500 residents. As a fire department, in the area of hazardous substances accidents, we are concerned with two areas 1) Our coverage area includes seventeen kilometres of Trans / Canada Highway. This highway is a conduit for almost 75 porcent on the vehicle traffic which enters Charlottetown from off/Island. As a result, truck traffic carrying dangerous goods has a potential for becoming involved in a motor vehicle accident in our territory. 2) Also is our area area a large number of farms which seasonally store a significant amount of pesticides (ie herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides). Thousands of kilograms of actives ingredient are transported into, stored and used each year in our area. As a result of these concerns and others, our department prepares for potential hazardous substances accidents in several ways A) Equipping the department with trucks, protective clothing and materials to combat such an accident. B) Training our volunteers in various aspects of hazardous substances accident. C) Working with other groups in Emergency Planning to better prepare for and handle such an accident (AU)