TALLADEGA COUNTY — A train has derailed under I-20, carrying a deadly chemical, possibly chlorine gas. The Talladega Superspeedway is downwind from the train, and the next race is only three days away.This scenario, designed by Hoover Police Department Capt. Jim Coker, was presented Tuesday morning to representatives of 23 agencies in the region, including Talladega, St. Clair, Jefferson, Etowah, Calhoun, Clay and Cleburne counties. The State of Alabama and the FBI were also represented. Coker is a master exercise practitioner, licensed by the federal government to create exercises such as Tuesday’s.
The point of the exercise was to develop communications and a sense of cooperation between the various agencies that would be necessary to evacuate upwards of 200,000 people in a situation like the one in Coker’s scenario.
And as in any real disaster situation, there were new elements constantly being added, including wrecks and fistfights breaking out on the interstate, the arrival of CNN from Atlanta, and a debate over whether or not to cancel the race (it was not cancelled).
Talladega was chosen to co-host the event along with Jefferson County not only because of the presence of the track but because local agencies have some experience dealing with a potentially horrific train derailment that actually happened near the one outlined in Tuesday’s exercise, according to a spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.
Coker explained that the specifics were less important than the overall coordination of the effort.
“You could apply some of these same lessons to any disaster — a tornado, a plane crash, a fire at a manufacturing site, anything. The original responding agency is going to have to call for outside help. It’s about how jurisdictions plan, support and are supportive. You have to deal with things like getting food and water to the officers, and finding replacements, because you can’t keep them out there forever. And when you do find replacements, where do you shelter the people they’re replacing?”
And front-line response is not the only concern. “Something like this situation also involves the state and could involve some possible reimbursement from the state or the federal government. But to do that, you need very accurate paperwork and documentation also.”
Talladega County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Jimmy Kilgore said, “I really appreciate the good turnout and all the partners participating in this exercise. It is very similar to a real-time incident we had here not long ago, and it could actually happen. Especially during a race weekend, we would have to depend on other agencies for support.”
In addition to improving communication and cooperation, the event was also driven by the National Incident Management System, which every law enforcement agency will be required to comply with by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
