Chatham-Kent has entered into an emergency response for hazardous materials partnership with Windsor.
Council gave their approval at their combined meeting on Monday night.
“Due to the high volume of hazardous materials passing through Chatham-Kent, it is possible that a serious hazardous materials event could occur,” Bob Davidson, assistant fire chief, said in a report.
“In order to ensure that the Municipality is prepared to address this type of an emergency, Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services plans to take steps to ensure that it has the capability to properly mitigate, prepare, respond and recover from a hazardous materials incident.”
Davidson said in his report there are approximately 4,800 railcar loads of hazardous materials travelling through the Municipality of Chatham-Kent annually.
“Each can carry in excess of 25,000 imperial gallons of liquid product or in excess of 90 tons of solid products. In addition, there are on average 100 truckloads of hazardous materials that cross the Detroit/Windsor border daily (3,650 annually). Many of these loads travel through Chatham-Kent.”
Reports say the partnership would allow C-K to call in registered clean-up agencies and hazmat experts as back-up, in the event of a hazardous spill or accident.
Chatham-Kent is set to be in talks with Sarnia emergency officials as well, to discuss entering into a similar partnership.
