(The following story by Laura Ring appeared on the Leduc Representative website on September 11.)
LEDUC, Alberta — Families may have a plan if a tornado was to touch down nearby, if a fire started in their house, or if something was to happen while a child was home alone.
Being prepared can be the difference between life and death. Preparation can also make a stressful situation a little bit easier to get through.
Unfortunately, many people like to think that bad things will never happen to them.
Many homes in Leduc are now used to the loud sounds of a trains engine, and it is not an uncommon thing to have to wait for a train to pass while driving.
There are a number of trains going through the city, yet families may not have thought about what would happen if just one of those trains derailed.
Railways are used to carry many dangerous commodities that by law, cannot be carried on public highways.
“One-mile long trains can carry thousands and thousands of tons of commodity. So they can carry huge container cans full of dangerous commodities like poison, pesticides, antifreeze, chlorine and jet fuel,” said Bill Brehl, president of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference’s Maintenance of Way Employees Division.
As time goes by, it is becoming more important for families to realize they need to make a plan for the worst-case scenario.
“They are longer and heavier trains that are running more often, and they are causing the track to deteriorate more,” said Brehl. “The problem with this is the more you run trains, the harder it is to get people out on the track to inspect the tracks.”
Because of the railroad going through the City of Leduc, it is a good idea for everyone to be prepared in case of an evacuation.
“We would send out a message either via radio television to the Alberta Emergency public warning system to advise residence of a certain area of the community to evacuate their homes and to start heading towards a certain designation collection point,” said Gerry Kelly, deputy fire chief.
“From that point they would be escorted away.”
An evacuation for a train derailment would be very similar to any other evacuation, and the best thing is to be prepared and have a plan.
“We at the city, and in disaster management, profess residents and businesses to be ready to help themselves. We will simply give the advice and then from there people will have to help themselves. We just coordinate it and make sure it happens.”
In order to protect the public Teamsters has created evacuation guidelines that are important to remember and to talk to your family about.
Always:
— Keep a full tank of gas in your car if an evacuation seems likely. Gas stations may be closed during emergencies and unable to pump gas during power outages. Plan to take one car per family to reduce congestion and delay.
— Make transportation arrangements with friends or your local government if you do not own a car.
— Listen to a battery-powered radio and follow local evacuation instructions.
— Stay calm and focused. Drive carefully.
— Follow recommended evacuation routes. Do not take shortcuts; they may be blocked.
— Stay away from downed power lines.
— Do not try to return home until instructed to do so.
If the time permits:
— Gather your disaster supplies kit.
— Wear sturdy shoes and clothing that provides some protection, such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and a cap.
— Secure your home, close and lock doors and windows. Unplug electrical equipment, such as radios and televisions, and small appliances, such as toasters and microwaves. Leave freezers and refrigerators plugged in unless there is a risk of flooding.
— Let others know where you are going.
The most important things to remember when talking to your family about an evacuation is make sure you plan a meeting spot. If you are forced out of you home and cannot call your family or friends to decide where to meet this will help, a lot.
Another important thing to remember is any medicine you or a family member needs. Try putting them close to an exit so if you are in a rush it wont take long to get to them.
Brehl added that if you can hear a train from your home, you should have an evacuation plan.