Equipped with a new smartphone app, their cellphones give immediate access to the latest data showing exactly what chemicals and how much of each are being stored at facilities across the state.
Still in its pilot phase, the free app is now available to fire departments and other emergency responders, said Ecology spokesman Andrew Wineke.
The app was launched just a few days before Sleepy Hollow broke out, so few emergency responders even knew about it, he said. Now, both Chelan and Douglas county emergency management departments have downloaded the app, but it hasn’t yet gotten to individual fire departments or other emergency agencies in those counties, he said.
“It’s important information, and we hope emergency responders are able to use it whenever they need it,” he said.
The Sleepy Hollow Fire threatened tanks with thousands of pounds of ammonia and other toxic chemicals. But instead of making phone calls or turning to laptops to search for the information, the spill response team could find out exactly what to expect while they were on their way.
The information helped them choose the right safety gear, and come armed with the knowledge of how to protect themselves and nearby residents. In addition to information about the chemicals, it also provides responders with directions to the facility, contact information for facility operators and other pertinent information.
State and federal agencies have long gathered information about chemical storage under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, or EPCRA.
In Washington, the information has been kept in paper files and on computer spreadsheets. Fire departments or other emergency responders needed to request the latest data from Ecology.
The free Washington State EPCRA app — available for both Androids and iPhones — allows them to download the data using an access key from Ecology to ensure it’s used by authorized emergency responders.
Washington is the first state to come out with a cellphone app with this information, Wineke said. It was developed through a request from the state Emergency Response Commission.
“Hopefully there will be other states following our footsteps,” he said.
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