Chatham-Kent’s co-ordinator for emergency management is confident the community is prepared for any potential rail disaster.
Al DeVillaer said the community has excellent emergency preparedness plans in place and partnerships lined up to help out.
DeVillaer added he has had multiple conversations with Transport Canada and various rail operators to ensure safety standards are being met and plans are in place.
Council had requested staff to look into the hazardous rail traffic coming through the community, in the wake of the tragic rail disaster in July in Quebec, which killed 47 people.
Bob Crawford, general manager of community development, said Chatham-Kent firefighters are trained to assess any situation.
“We train all our personal to approach safely, recognize the hazard and call for appropriate help,” he said. “We have set the level of service as awareness.”
Chatham Coun. Doug Sulman said C-K has to be ready for minor incidents, as well as the major disasters.
“Last summer we had a bicycle hit the CP rail on Centre Street,” Sulman said, adding that the stopped train blocked traffic all the way through Chatham. “We need a plan in place for de-linking that specific area so transportation can continue. It doesn’t have to be something as dramatic that happened in Quebec, it can be something minor that shuts down the entire city.”
Mayor Randy Hope said more could be done besides safety and preparedness.
“I don’t think we can forget about the regulatory environment,” he said. “Preventive is more important, than reactive.”
