THE HERALD’S RECENT TWO PART SERIES (click HERE and HERE) on the Union Pacific Railroad emergency training at Valero for a crude-by-rail accident suggested that someone, somewhere has claimed that “crude oil fires can’t be extinguished” and that “foam doesn’t put out fires.” Valero Fire Chief Joe Bateman called it a “fabrication,” and he’s right. No one I know has claimed this. (Classically, this is referred to as a “straw man” argument … and as you might guess, someone with my last name just can’t resist rising to the bait.)
The fire at Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, is out, so it surely was extinguished, though it took two days beginning with a period when it could not be approached. For a time there was, in fact, no alternative to just letting it burn. The same is true of the explosion in Casselton, N.D. In certain circumstances, firefighters do deliberately let a fire burn itself out. Sometimes this is a triage decision: First responders’ priorities are sometimes directed to saving lives and deflecting the flow of a spill. Other times it is because there is no other choice.
It is accurate to state that foam puts out crude oil fires, but that statement loses its meaning in a worst-case scenario of a major catastrophic derailment and explosion. When there is a massive fire such as that in Lac-Mégantic or Casselton, firefighters have been unable to safely approach the inferno and have indeed been forced to let the fire burn. Foam puts out oil fires, but not when emergency personnel are a half-mile distance from a catastrophic explosion.
I recently received a communication from Fred Millar, a well-known independent consultant and expert on chemical safety and railroad transportation. Millar gives convincing and documented testimony addressing the tactic of “letting it burn itself out.” He wrote, “…in several post-Lac-Mégantic forums (see the NTSB Safety Forum webcast) and in many media articles, the majority of fire service experts have been clear that the ongoing crude oil rail disasters are beyond their capabilities to handle. Even with an infinite amount of costly foam, letting them burn is the only sensible approach (and this is what was done in all the major crude oil disasters in North America).”
Millar’s full statement and nearly a dozen other reputable sources confirm this as fact. (See http://wp.me/p4SFSq-14m and http://wp.me/p4SFSq-14c.)
A few questions remain. Did the Union Pacific training include preparation for a massive unapproachable explosion? Do our first responders know what to do (or not do) in the case of another Lac-Mégantic, Lynchburg or Casselton? Have our firefighters and emergency personnel considered how to protect Valero’s Industrial Park neighbors and residents within a 1-mile blast/evacuation zone of a potential major accident? Somehow, I don’t think Union Pacific’s shiny yellow training tank car did much to help our local heroes figure out what to do if a 50-car train carrying millions of gallons of volatile Bakken crude oil derails, punctures and sets off multiple massive explosions.
Yes, I know … not likely. But few would disagree: When it comes to high-risk ventures, “well-prepared” means knowledge of, and readiness for, worst-case scenarios.
For more information, see SafeBenicia.org.
Roger Straw is a Benicia resident.
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Thank you, Roger, well stated as usual. Keep up the good work.
Peter Bray
Benicia, CA
You are welcome, Peter, and many thanks to Editor Marc Ethier for running my piece. I wrote the article to comment on our local version of a phenomenon taking place at cities across the nation. I’ve lost track of the number of Google alerts in recent weeks about first-responder-crude-by-rail-training-events sponsored at great expense by the rail and refinery industries. In nearly every case, the after-training press releases and interviews serve as pacifiers to public concerns, with assurances of adequate equipment and training should anything go wrong. This is, of course, far from the case. Our respected and heroic firefighters are caught in a catch-22: of course they want additional training, but their work should not be made into a pawn in the ugly game of industry painting itself as clean and safe. For more, see http://www.BeniciaIndependent.com.
Strawman I do understand your concerns. But that is not how you are stating them., as concenrs. You have no confidence in our Firefighters or even accept their training. Your comments I could have accepted as conerns if not for the way you write the article. It appearsd there is never enough to satisfy your one sided view. If all those question can be answered would you be satisfied with their training and knowledge of these type of issues. It does not appear that way.
checking
Reverend Strawman you are convinced that all the training, protection and alerts by all agencies will not satisfy you.. I assume you no longer drive, fly, take a train subways or even cross a street. Reverend Strawman you have taken a very good thing which is training and reduced it to your very low evaluation of the folks that protect us all on a daily basis. You should take an another look at what these well trained folks do. You have just in your own mind put them at the bottom of the barrel. All based on your personal ideals and not others.. Rev. Strawman I hope you never need any of them. They will come in a moments notice and take care of all issues and even make sure the Strawman is safe and sound. Strawman think about what you are saying before you pass judgement on others. These folks that you are throwing darts at will protect us all with their superior taining. Strawma n you may not believe that with your agenda driven ideals but it is the true. Strawman they will be there for you.
Roger Straw:
Keep writing and researching from the analytical, broad-banded side of life, it is valued by many of us here in Benicia. Mr. Livesay has nothing new in his juvenile agenda or style of writing, but to criticize and carp over issues he has absolutely no control over but only to hope for sustained materialism at all costs over human, social, or environmental issues. A cold creek rock has more worldly awareness.
Peter Bray, Benicia, CA
How much are the Republicans running California? You know, the biggest state in the country? (And the smartest.)
Hank I love California. At present California has no say except in some areas of the state on a ntional bases. Yes they do call the shots in Californis. But is that good in the long rumn? I think not. Yes, Tesla will move out of California and Idaho is on a run if you did not that already.. Keep ip TO DATE AND stop the personal attacks. I do believe we can have a conversation without attacks on each other. Can you do that? I will..
Bob,
I read this piece earlier today, thought you would like it. It simply confirms that which reasonable people have known for years :
California pension funds are running dry
Yesa Dennis i did read thAT