Trans Mountain conducts emergency response exercise

The full-scale exercise provided an opportunity for response personnel to demonstrate and practice the implementation of the Kamloops District Response Plan and meets a British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (BC EAO) Condition for the Expansion Project.

“At Trans Mountain, we test and practice our plans regularly and involve local first responders, Indigenous groups and government agencies to ensure we’re prepared in the event of an incident. While our goal is that our emergency response plans are never used, we are fully prepared to respond to any incident in a timely and effective manner.” Says Michael Davies, Vice President of Operations for Trans Mountain Corporation. “We conduct more than 20 emergency response exercises each year, which allows us to practice and demonstrate our industry-leading practices for incident responses.

The exercise consisted of ice and snow-based response activities of a full-bore pipeline rupture, including a field deployment at Inks Lake in Kamloops, BC. The drill also included an off-site Incident Command Post where several agencies, stakeholders, first responders and regulators participated in an integrated response alongside Trans Mountain personnel.

“Our top priority is the safety of the communities where we operate. That is why we practice simulated emergency responses, in all types of weather especially, to ensure we are fully prepared in any situation if an emergency were to happen” says Kelly Malinoski, Trans Mountain’s Director of Emergency Management. “To help mitigate concerns of communities and residents along the pipeline corridor, our teams continually review, revise, practice and also share our emergency response capabilities to all parties who could be involved.”

Trans Mountain is required to have an emergency management programme that anticipates, prevents, manages and mitigates conditions during the unlikely event of an emergency. Each year we conduct more than 20 emergency response exercises, equipment deployment drills and training opportunities that are evaluated by regulatory agencies.

A full-scale exercise is defined as a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional activity involving the mobilisation and actual movement of emergency personnel, equipment, and resources, as if a real incident had occurred.

Image courtesy of Trans Mountain.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/equipment-and-safety/13022020/trans-mountain-conducts-emergency-response-exercise/