ARLINGTON, VA - 
(NewMediaWire) - June 4, 2024 - The Chlorine Institute (CI) and the Mississippi State Fire Academy (MSFA), building on their partnership established in 2007, held another successful week of training for CI’s Chlorine Emergency Plan (CHLOREP) teams and contractors, as well as other industry and government partners.
CI President Frank Reiner stated, “The longstanding partnership with MSFA has served to dramatically strengthen the preparedness of the CHLOREP network and helped to assure that fully capable and knowledgeable response teams are in place to mitigate the impact should a release occur. The level of cooperation between MSFA and CI has been beyond our expectation, and we are very appreciative of the continuing commitment made by this world class facility.”
Chlorine plays a role in more than 50 percent of all commercial chemistry. It is an essential building block for safe drinking water, wastewater treatment, pharmaceuticals (including antibiotics, pain relievers, and cancer treatments), medical equipment, plastics, dyes, cosmetics, construction materials, shatter-resistant glass, electronics, adhesives, automobile parts (including seat belts) and sports equipment.
Barry Burnside, MSFA’s Deputy Director, expressed, “We were excited, once again, to be the host site for this essential training that prepares response teams with the knowledge and hands-on training by experts in the field. We understand that safe-handling and transportation of chlorine is crucial for the safety of the citizens of Mississippi, across the United States and internationally. There is not a better opportunity for response personnel to receive the best training from leading experts in the field, and at such a premier training site, the Mississippi State Fire Academy.”
CHLOREP is a mutual aid network established in 1972 to assure preparedness to mitigate chlorine releases in the rare instances where they may occur. Since 2007 the training has been held annually at MSFA’s training facility in Pearl, MS, with a brief hiatus during the pandemic. In recent years, CHLOREP Training has gained global interest beyond the U.S. and Canada, with attendees also coming from Mexico, the Caribbean islands, and Europe.
CI received nothing but rave reviews about training this year. As shared by Matthew Bouffard, a student from Westlake Chemical’s Longview, WA facility, “This year’s CHLOREP Training provided a memorable opportunity to foster both a technical and collaborative environment of chlorine stewardship. My favorite part of the training was the interactive instruction across scenarios that I wouldn’t normally experience in my own plant. Each instructor was engaging and passionate about their students’ involvement. They highlighted the role that chlorine plays across every part of the country and the people who ensure that everyone gets to come home safe.”
This training program is a combination of about 25% classroom instruction and 75% field scenarios all focused on preparing CHLOREP mutual aid response teams and the broader response networks for action. The partnership with this world class facility allows for high quality training in techniques necessary to minimize the impact on the public and employees in the event of a release.
The 2024 training session was led by chair Justin Cox of OxyChem and vice-chair Jason Holden of Specialized Response Solutions. CI Staff support was provided by Robyn Kinsley, VP-Transportation & Emergency Preparedness, and Brooke Lobdell, Project Coordinator. Mark Moss led the effort for MSFA with the help of academy instructors and support staff.
About The Chlorine Institute
The Chlorine Institute (CI) founded in 1924, is a technical trade association that exists to support the chlor-alkali industry in advancing safe, secure, environmentally compatible, and sustainable production, distribution, and use of its mission chemicals. Visit chlorineinstitute.org for more information.
Contact
Robyn Kinsley
The Chlorine Institute
703-894-4123
rkinsley@CL2.com
