COQUITLAM, BC, March 23, 2017 /CNW/ - Emergency Response
Assistance Canada (ERAC) and Canadian Pacific (CP) conducted a rail
emergency exercise today as part of ongoing ERAC responder training
in the event of an incident involving railcars or trucks
carrying flammable liquids or gas.
ERAC Response Teams and Remedial Measures Advisors from across
British Columbia participated in
this full-scale hands-on exercise involving two flammable liquid
transfers and one LPG transfer from railcar to railcar, and one LPG
transfer from railcar to truck.
"Despite being extremely rare, rail incidents involving
flammable liquids and gases can happen at any time and any place.
If they do, Emergency Response Assistance Canada is capable of
responding with highly-trained and experienced responders," said
Spencer Buckland, ERAC President.
"Activities like today's controlled transfer exercises provide our
responders with critical experience to ensure they are ready to act
if an incident occurs."
This training event was the largest that ERAC has conducted to
date. Emergency Response Assistance Canada and CP also welcomed
plan participant members as well as representatives from Transport
Canada and the BC Ministry of Environment to observe the
training.
"CP is proud to have facilitated another successful large scale
live transfer exercise to showcase the capabilities of our
emergency response employees and contractors to government
representatives, fire departments and local officials," said
Glen Wilson, Assistant
Vice-President Environmental Risk and ERAC board member. "By
practicing these important skills we can be sure that they will be
ready to safely and effectively respond to incidents involving
dangerous goods and at the same time assure communities they can
trust CP has the right resources in place to respond in the
unlikely event an incident involving a release occurs."
About Emergency Response Assistance Canada
(ERAC):
Emergency Response Assistance Canada (ERAC) is a
not-for-profit emergency preparedness and response organization.
Experts in designing emergency response assistance plans (ERAPs),
ERAC is instrumental in assisting hundreds of oil and gas and
transportation organizations. From coast to coast ERAC provides
highly trained and skilled responders, equipment and industry best
practices for road or rail incidents involving flammable gases and
liquids. ERAC is a subsidiary of the Canadian Propane Association
(CPA).
About Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific
(TSX:CP)(NYSE:CP) is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the
United States with direct links to eight major ports,
including Vancouver and
Montreal, providing North American
customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in
every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers,
offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics
solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail
advantages of CP.
SOURCE Emergency Response Assistance Canada (ERAC)