The company in this incident is WORLD-CLASS, but even that does not exempt them from a proper and TIMELY RESPONSE. This is a “lesson to be learned” event! The company is still dealing with the fallout 3 years later. You do not want to be in their shoes!!! When the 911 Dispatch is calling you – it is not a good sign. Then the stammering and lack of direction the facility provided just compounded matters. Listen and LEARN… and DON’T let it happen to you.
On Thursday, Pasadena police released recordings of several conversations in which Dispatchers got information from Air Products regarding the chemical release Tuesday. City officials have said Air Products did not provide necessary information promptly, leading to delays in notifying residents of the potential hazard. Below are excerpts from two of the conversations:
Pasadena Dispatch: Pasadena Fire Department.
Air Products: Yes, is this Cassie?
Dispatch: Yes, sir.
Air Products: OK, this is Phil McKee over here at Air Products and Chemicals on Pasadena 225, 14…14, um, I forgot my address. [laughs] Over here in Pasadena. Uh, we had a Nitric Unit trip. Is a visible plume of NOX. Right now we’re trying to manage the scene here. Where we are trying to. It’s probably a Level 1, where it’s a visible plume. It’s easing outside the boundaries of our plant.
Dispatch: So it’s about to become a Level 2?
Air Products: Uh, well we are trying to manage it. We are trying to get it knocked everything down. Uh, it’s dying down on that….
Dispatch: OK. I mean I don’t know why nobody called me? I have gotten several calls from people who are driving through the cloud because they don’t know and now they are having respitatory problems.
Air Products: Yes ma’am.
Dispatch: The cloud is coming, is leaving y’all’s facility. This is not a Level 1.
Air Products: Yes ma’am.
Dispatch: So, it should have been…
Air Products: A Level 2.
Dispatch: Yeah, it’s a Level 2 right now, I am pretty sure.
Air Products: Yes…we’re trying to get everything under control here. The unit is down and we’re trying to shut off all the air flow and everything. And uh yeah we were in the process of calling you, but we got tied up trying to control it. We put everybody out on the site.
Dispatch: And you said it was a Nitric Unit trip?
Air Products: Yes ma’am.
Dispatch: Can you confirm what the brown and red and black smoke is?
Air Products: It’s a NOX plume.
Dispatch: Can you spell that for me?
Air Products: NOX, N-O-X.
Dispatch: Plume?
Air Products: Yes ma’am.
Dispatch: OK, is it hazardous to your health? Or….
Air Products: Uh…yes, if you inhale it. Yes ma’am.
Dispatch: OK. So we need to have a shelter-in-place?
Air Products: Uh, yes ma’am.
Dispatch: OK. So that is not a Level 1 or 2. That is a Level 3. Are you educated on this material?
Air Products: Uh, yes ma’am.
Dispatch: OK. Then why did you call me tell me that it was a Level 1 if it’s Level 3 and didn’t have a shelter-in-place?
Air Products: Well, I mean…I’m not saying it should be a shelter-in-place, but it was…I am not in the outside areas so I can’t see exactly what’s going on.
Dispatch: What is your name?
Air Products: Phil.
Dispatch: Phil?
Dispatch: So, do we need to have a shelter-in-place or not?
Air Products: Let me find out first and see what the situation is outside. See, I can’t see outside.
Dispatch: OK.
Air Products: I mean…
Dispatch: Yeah because that is very hazardous. If the cloud is hazardous to the health then it’s going over the Beltway.
Air Products: OK.
Dispatch: Yeah, there are several people who are going to inhale it.
Air Products: OK.
Dispatch: So I need you to find out immediately and call me back and especially so I can fill out an initial event for the CAER.
Air Products: Yes ma’am. I think they put it out on the CAER Line.
Dispatch: No. I haven’t receieved anything and I am with the LEPC.
Air Products: Oh, they haven’t?
Dispatch: No.
Air Products: They were supposed to have already put it out.
Dispatch: No and this a very emergency situation
Air Products: OK, let me get a hold of them right quick.Conversation with Plant Manager Jacques Joseph
Pasadena Dispatcher: Pasadena Fire Department…
Jacques Joseph: Hi Cassie.
Dispatch: Yes, sir.
Joseph: This is Jacques Joseph again. We are kind of getting it under control, but because of the wind direction and the low level for the way it is I would make sure we put some caution of there for folks out there who are traveling the area that they shelter-in-place.
Dispatch: Ok, so there is going to be a shelter-in-place?
Joseph: Well, I am trying to see….
Dispatch: Uh, no…I need a yes or no right now. Is it going to going to be a shelter-in-place? I have been dealing with this for about 40 minutes.
Joseph: Yeah.
Dispatch: I am looking up in our book that it is saying that this could have respiration problems and possible death. So that’s not OK. The fact that y’all reported this so late…
Joseph: Well, we…go ahead…
Dispatch: So, is it yes or no…I need a shelter-in-place on 225?
Joseph: Yeah.
Dispatch: Yes?
Joseph: Yeah.
Dispatch: In the neighborhood as well or no?
Joseph: Uh, immediately south…
Dispatch: Immediately south? Are y’all north of 225 or south of 225?
Joseph: We are north of 225. Immediately southeast of us you need to do that. Put the shelter-in-place.
Dispatch: OK.
Joseph: Is your emergency coordinator there?
Dispatch: Uh, no he is not. What is your name?
Joseph: Jacques Joseph.
Dispatch: OK.
[Dispatcher asks and receives phone numbers for Joseph]
Joseph: Red Bluff area and 225.