The 2023 train derailment and subsequent chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, has faded from the headlines. For residents who have returned home, the story is far from over.
In addition to the vinyl chloride that was released during the disaster, the EPA reports that the region’s soil, waterways, and air were affected by at least four other chemicals and carcinogens, which are harmful to the kidney, liver, eyes, nose, and throat.
While official safety statements declared the area safe after cleanup efforts, East Palestine residents who returned home in the months following the disaster reported headaches, rashes, sore throats, coughing, and burning sensations. They also observed sickness and death of pets.
While the East Palestine derailment may seem like an isolated event, the truth is that train derailments are a common occurrence in the United States. On Thanksgiving Day of 2023, a train derailment in Kentucky triggered a state of emergency for residents in the nearby town of Livingston. They were forced to drop their holiday plans and evacuate to get clear of hazardous chemicals released in the accident.
Derailments in America have trended down from a peak of 9,400 derailments in 1978 to an average of 1,300 per year over the past decade. While not all derailments involve trains carrying hazardous substances, these accidents present a clear danger to citizens of the U.S.
States that have historically experienced the most derailments include Illinois, Texas, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, and Iowa. Vermont, Alaska, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island have experienced the least.
As a responsible citizen, what should you do about this threat to your family’s safety?
Conduct a Threat Assessment
The first step to understanding your risk of exposure to a chemical spill is conducting a threat assessment. This is a comprehensive analysis of the natural and man-made disaster threats that could affect your area.
In your threat assessment, you’ll consider the unique vulnerabilities of your region to see where you’re most at risk. You’ll also be able to rule out threats that are unlikely to affect you.
When it comes to chemical spills, some factors you may want to consider are:
- Your home’s proximity to a railway
- Your home’s proximity to petro-chemical facilities
- Historical occurrence of derailments in your state
- Contents being transported by railways in your area
That being said, it’s difficult to know with confidence exactly what is being transported on a railway at any given time. It’s also not entirely a safe bet to rule out the threat of chemical spill just because derailments have historically not occurred in your area.
Ultimately, the risk factors you take into account must be evaluated on a personal level. What is the minimum radius you would feel comfortable sheltering in place within during a chemical spill? Five miles? Ten miles? You can expand or decrease the radius depending on your risk tolerance.
If your threat assessment shows that your community may be at risk of exposure to a chemical spill after a derailment, what steps can you take to be ready?
Don’t Wait for a Mandatory Evacuation
The East Palestine chemical spill took place on February 3. Depending on which report you follow, responders didn’t ask residents within a 1-mile radius of the disaster zone to evacuate until February 4, or February 5. CNN reported that officials initially asked residents to shelter-in-place. All this time, hazardous chemicals and carcinogens were saturating the air, waterways, and soil of the region. Plumes of black smoke could be seen from miles away.
On February 6, authorities expanded the initial 1-mile evacuation zone to a 2-mile radius. At that time, they began a controlled burn of the tankers to prevent an explosion.
If the residents returning home months after the disaster experienced significant acute symptoms, imagine the health impact to residents who remained sheltered-in-place for hours or days immediately following the derailment. This was by no fault of their own. They were simply following instructions.
In a chemical spill scenario, it can be critical to not wait for an official evacuation order. As soon as you become aware of the threat, you should evacuate with your household. Minutes wasted could make a difference in the long-term health impact to your family. If you are anywhere close to the disaster zone, it’s better to leave and reassess the situation from a safe location.
What to Consider Before a Crisis
Pack Your Go-Bags
Because time is of the essence in a chemical spill evacuation, it’s important to have at least some basic supplies staged and ready to go. Locating and packing items during an evacuation will waste time you don’t have.
At a minimum, keep a duffel bag packed with a change of clothing for each of your family members. In the event of an emergency evacuation, you can grab the bag and head out the door.
Since there are a wide range of threats that could trigger an evacuation, consider building up a more robust set of go-bags that can support and sustain your household for up to 72 hours.
Plan Your Exit
Once you’ve determined that an evacuation due to a chemical spill is necessary, there are many questions still to be answered. To start, where will you go? How will you get there?
It’s important to answer these questions ahead of time, prior to an emergency evacuation. You don’t want to scramble to create a plan in the fog of a crisis. Having a plan in place will drastically improve your emergency response, and ensure that you can safely and effectively get your family out of harm’s way.
Invest in Personal Protective Equipment
If you want to get serious about your chemical spill response plan, consider buying personal protective equipment for members of your household. The best place to start is a gas mask, which filters hazardous chemicals before they reach your airway. A quality gas mask creates a seal around your entire face, so that your eyes, nose, and mouth are safe from exposure. Be wary of buying novelty or second-hand gas masks, as they may be ineffective.
The CM-6 gas mask from Mira Safety is a great option for those looking for a professional, full-face respirator at a solid price. You can read a detailed analysis of how a Mira Safety gas mask paired with their CBRN filter would protect an individual during a disaster like the East Palestine chemical spill.
Parting Thoughts
Man-made disasters such as chemical spills are unpredictable, and typically happen without warning. It’s important to be aware of the potential threats to your community well ahead of any crisis.
Many of the steps we’ve outlined, such as conducting a threat assessment and making evacuation response plans, apply to a wide range of disaster threats. Even having PPE for members of your family will cover a wide variety of threats beyond chemical spills.
The first step to getting ready is knowing what you’re up against. You can learn how to get started by conducting in Guide to Disaster Readiness.
