DRILL BUILDS ON IN-HOUSE TRAINING : WATER AGENCY EXERCISE VERSES CREWS IN CONTAINING TOXIC LEAK.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

Somehow, being reminded of the potential for a deadly chlorine gas leak at Calleguas Municipal Water District's water filtration plant on Olsen Road was comforting to employee Ray Jacques.

No, there has never been a chlorine spill at the plant. And Jacques, a senior mechanical technician at the plant, has never had to deal with an actual hazardous materials leak.

But after donning heavy protective gear Thursday for a hazardous materials spill simulation with dozens of emergency response personnel, the six-year employee knew he would be up to the challenge in an actual incident.

``It was definitely a learning experience in how professionally the agencies make it work,'' said Jacques, who had participated in smaller in-house drills before, but never one on this scale. ``As far as if it really happened, I guess I could do it - that's what we're training for.''

Dozens of emergency personnel descended on the Calleguas plant for a nearly daylong simulation of a chlorine gas leak - an utterly realistic drill replete with crews in spacesuitlike protective gear, decontamination units, hazardous materials equipment, fire engines, flashing lights and blaring sirens.

Participants included the Calleguas Municipal Water District, the Ventura County Community Awareness and Emergency Response Group, the Ventura County Fire Department, the Ventura County Hazardous Materials Response Teams, the county Sheriff's Department, the county Air Pollution Control District, the Oxnard Fire Department, the Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley police departments and the American Red Cross.

It tested the capability of the agencies to work jointly in an actual emergency, according to officials.

Besides providing emergency personnel a chance to hone their skills, Thursday's exercise also gave emergency response agencies an opportunity to become familiar with the facility, according to officials.

The drill, organized by Calleguas with CAER, was the first such effort held at the Calleguas facility, said Eric Bergh, advance planning administrator.

``It's a joint exercise to test our response to a chlorine gas leak,'' Bergh said.

Each step of the exercise was evaluated for proper procedure and effectiveness by agencies that included the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, the California Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Emergency Services and the Ventura County Environmental Health Division.

The drill centered around the chlorine building, where 15 one-ton, pressurized steel cylinders containing liquid chlorine are stored.

Chlorine, which is used to purify water, becomes a toxic gas when it comes in contact with the atmosphere, and it can be fatal to humans, Bergh said.

During a briefing prior to the exercise, the entire scenario was painted for the participants, right down to the wind speed and direction - a 10 mph west wind.

``That's real typical here in the afternoon,'' said Jim Arledge, Ventura County Hazmat group supervisor. ``We're trying to make it as real as possible.''

Even the preliminaries to actually moving into the danger zone were injected with a dose of reality.

Surrounded by a confusing array of head-to-toe protective suits in a variety of colors, boots and air tanks, participants were given thorough medical checks before suiting up.

Once suited in the bulky gear, one team at a time made its way up the walk, past the scrub-down decontamination station and toward the building as a loud siren blared away.

Once inside, they went to the source of the simulated leak - a valve in a unit next to the cylinders - evaluated it and went back outside to devise a plan of action.

To simulate contamination with the toxic gas, the bulky plastic suits were smeared with a bright orange powder.

Then they were sent to the decontamination station, where they were scrubbed by crews with brushes and water.

``If they don't get it all off, they aren't doing a good job,'' said Rick Jones, an evaluator with the state Department of Toxic Substances Control, who judged the scrub portion of the exercise.

Jones was pleased with what he saw. ``They seem to be doing a good job,'' he said as the crews worked on cleaning the team's protective gear.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos