Chemical stockpile sites' neighbors feel unprepared

This story was published Sun, Apr 23, 2000

By Mary Hopkin
Herald Oregon bureau

A study of residents living near eight U.S. chemical stockpile sites, including Umatilla, suggests residents believe they're unprepared for an emergency and uninformed about procedures.

The yearlong study, prepared by the University of Arizona, took the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program to task, stating that part of the program's problems is it has lost credibility.

"Some of the recent examples of criticism surrounding CSEPP emphasize an inability to resolve basic technical problems with its emergency preparedness system," the report states. "Exacerbating this problem is the lack of cooperation shown by certain entities when confronted with technical problems associated with its radios, and the fact that CSEPP has not attempted to acknowledge this problem in a forthright manner."

The chemical depot, seven miles west of Hermiston, stores 220,604 munitions and containers filled with 7.4 million pounds of deadly nerve and mustard agents.

The Army plans to begin burning the weapons in an incinerator in October 2001.

The survey also shows that although a large number of Umatilla County residents do feel prepared in case of a chemical release, many would not know what to do if the sirens sound.

More than 66 percent of local residents polled believed they would be properly informed if a release occurred, according to the survey.

But more than 26 percent said they weren't sure what to do in a chemical emergency.

Although the members of the public may be skeptical of CSEPP, they still would place their trust in local emergency managers if an event occurred.

The survey reported 64 percent of respondents would trust the emergency service workers to tell them what to do at that time, but 21 percent said they believed those workers were not well prepared to handle a chemical release.

Northeast Oregon CSEPP officials said they will use the University of Arizona's report to improve operations.

"We are always interested in outside input on how we are doing," said Cheryl Humphrey, CSEPP public information officer. "We are always looking to stay in touch with the public and constantly modifying what we do. This is another tool that will help us."

The university's findings may already be somewhat antiquated, however. The telephone survey, which polled 8,315 residents living near Army chemical weapon stockpile sites, was conducted from April to July 1999.

Army spokeswoman Mary Binder said she believes the recent rash of bomb threats at the Umatilla Chemical Depot has increased public awareness in the surrounding counties.

"There have been a lot of changes since those calls were taken last May and June," Binder said.

 

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