Local emergency personnel gathered in the Knox-Center Township Fire Department Wednesday morning to discuss how to test preparedness by responding to a hypothetical incident involving a hazardous chemical.

Starke County EMA Director J. Nier ran the exercise and it was monitored by Pulaski County EMA Director Sherri Gaillard. Officials from the medical field, law enforcement and fire departments were there to participate.

ISP Trooper Jim Strong was the first person on the scene of the hypothetical accident where a distracted semi driver carrying 6,000 of Anhydrous Ammonia crashed into a train track guardrail, damaging the tanker and causing a pungent white cloud to fill the air. Continue reading →