So what happens when an emergency strikes at the Brewton Georgia Pacific mill?
Local emergency responders and the Brewton Mill Rescue Team recently found out as they participated in a joint training drill at the mill site. During the simulation, the groups discussed their actions step-by-step, in the event of an actual emergency at the mill.
“It was a great collaborative effort that will serve to improve our capabilities as a joint emergency response team,” said Jeff Joyce, mill general manager. “We appreciate the dedication of the participants and thank them for sharing their knowledge and skills.”
David Adams, Escambia County Emergency Management Association director, served as facilitator for the exercise.
“It was a great opportunity for our local responders to work alongside our industrial partners with training in an exercise setting,” Adams said. “This gives all of us a chance to meet those that we may need to work with in the event of a true emergency and learn the training levels and policies and procedures of all the involved agencies. These updated plans will make response to all types of emergencies more efficient and quite possibly save lives.”
The scenario was the brainchild of Patrick Henry, chief, Brewton Mill Rescue Team.
“This exercise was a great benefit to the mill’s safety planning,” Henry said. “I believe that all exercises of this manner – table top and live – will help us as a mill rescue team better understand the capabilities of our outside responders that will be coming to assist in the event of an actual emergency.”