SIMI VALLEY : Company to Stage Disaster Drill
Officials of a Simi Valley propane plant said they plan to stage a mock disaster this morning in an effort to promote emergency preparedness in the event of a real disaster.
Simi Valley police, Ventura County firefighters and personnel from Pruner Ambulance Service and Simi Valley Adventist Hospital will participate in the drill, said Tom Ewing, district manager for Suburban Propane, which is sponsoring the exercise.
The drill, which will involve a simulated bomb blast, is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at Tapo Street and Los Angeles Avenue, where the company is located, Ewing said.
The exercise will include simulated injuries as well as a hazardous chemical leak, he said.
Mike Adams, Simi Valley emergency services coordinator, said drills give different emergency groups a chance to interact with one another in a non-threatening situation. He said the exercise also helps raise public awareness about safety issues.
Ewing, who said his company has never had a major accident, said this is the third drill in the last three years that Suburban Propane has sponsored. An earthquake drill was held last year.
“We like to feel our facility is incident-proof, but still there could be an 8.0 earthquake,” he said.
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