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July 26, 2013
Wichita, Kansas - In the aftermath of the tragic train derailment in Quebec, Wichita, Kansas officials are reexamining safety measures and other emergency preparedness plans in the event of an equally devastating derailment occurs in their city. The disaster footprint of a potential train derailment is massive, especially if the derailed train carried hazardous materials, toxins and asbestos. Thousands of Wichita residents would be in serious danger if such an accident happened.
What worries health and safety officials in Sedgwick County is that residents and business owners within a half mile radius of the main railroad line do not have emergency plans in the event of a hazardous train derailment. The Sedgwick County Emergency Management office urges all home and business owners near the railroads institute an evacuation plan in the case of a derailment with hazardous materials.
Though safety officials also recommend families and business owners establishing a “sheltering in place” plan, in the event of a catastrophic derailment, an evacuation plan – including a designated meeting spot in a safe area – may be the safest route.
According to the Emergency Management office, nearly 300,000 people live or work within a half mile radius of the railroad line. Further, 325 trains carrying hazardous materials pass through Wichita on a daily basis. Some of the hazardous materials on these trains are carcinogenic and potentially lethal if disbursed into the air. Asbestos, for example, is highly toxic and a threat to the environment and to overall health. Exposure to asbestos can cause lung and mesothelioma cancer, lung disease and asbestosis.
Sedgwick County health and safety officials are urging residents to put in place a plan in the event of a derailment with hazardous cargo. Railroad officials, likewise, are reviewing maintenance plans on rail lines to ensure that the tracks can withstand the increased traffic. Many rail lines that have fallen into disrepair have been replaced recently. Also, police, fire, emergency technicians and other first responders are reviewing what protocols they have in place to respond to a Quebec-sized disaster.
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