COMMISSION NEWS |
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ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION |
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TO: EDITORS, NEWS DIRECTORS |
DATE: October 17, 1997 |
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FOR: IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Jon Poston, (602) 542-0843 |
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U. S. REGULATORY AND GAS INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES TO VIEW NEW NATURAL GAS/FIRE DEPARTMENT TRAINING PROGRAM |
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Federal and state pipeline safety, natural gas and other pipeline industry representatives from around the country will be in Phoenix Thursday (October 23) to view a unique training program. The program, Incident Management Systems, shows pipeline companies and fire departments how to work together more effectively during natural gas emergencies. Incident Management Systems teaches gas company supervisors how to work within the fire department?tm)s command and communications system, and how to make prompt decisions under stressful, potentially hazardous conditions. Commission Chairman Carl Kunasek said, "The commission's intent is to have a leading-edge, scenario-based training program. We want to see cooperation in the working relationships between Southwest Gas and emergency response personnel during natural gas incidents." Kunasek added, "This will enhance the public safety by improving the response to natural gas incidents and emergencies. We believe the success of this program will result in saving lives, and reducing property loss." The demonstration and workshop will be conducted at the Arizona Corporation Commission, 1200 West Washington, Phoenix, and at the Phoenix Fire Department Operations Center, 150 S. 12th Street, Phoenix (see attached schedule). Participants will include representatives of the Corporation Commission, Phoenix Fire Department, Southwest Gas and the training development company, Paramedics Unlimited. The Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates pipeline safety in Arizona, directed Southwest Gas to develop the training course. The requirement came following two 1995 incidents in which it took the company an unusually long period of time to control escaping gas. One of the incidents involved a fatality at a Tucson apartment house, while the other was a gas leak that led to evacuation of business buildings at Central and Clarendon in Phoenix. |
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IMS/Emergency Response Workshop Agenda |
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10:00 a.m. |
Opening Remarks |
Gary A. Smith, Arizona Corporation Commission |
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10:10 |
Brief History and Basics of IMS |
Alan Brunacini, Phoenix Fire Dept. |
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10:40 |
Video/Laser Disk Demo |
Don Hilderbrand, Paramedics Unlimited |
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11:00 |
Southwest Gas Perspectives |
Tom Moessner, Southwest Gas Corp. |
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11:20 |
Review of Line Break |
Art Heady,Southwest Gas Corp. |
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11:40 |
Closing Remarks |
Chairman Carl J. Kunasek, Arizona Corporation |
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11:45 |
Buses depart for Phoenix Fire's Emergency Services Institute, 2430 S. 22nd Avenue |
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Noon - 1:15 p.m |
Lunch at the Training Institute |
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1:15 |
Buses depart for the Phoenix Fire Department Operation Center 150 S. 12th Street |
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1:30 - 3:00 |
Break into three groups and rotate every half hour between the Phoenix Fire Deployment |
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3:00 |
Buses return to the Arizona Corporation Commission building |
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