PECOS, Texas — Reeves County prepared themselves for any potential chemical spills they could face by having a training exercise in Pecos.
Reeves County is one of the most used routes by the US Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, also known as WIPP.
“So we have approved transportation routes that we negotiated years ago with each state we transport through," Bobby St. John, the external communication manager of SIMCO LLC, said. "Reeves County is on one of those transportation routes."
That is why the training exercise took place in Pecos.
The exercise simulated what would happen if a WIPP spill were to ever happen, and while this “accident” carried medical equipment, all kinds of chemicals go through WIPP.
"It's actually a radiological response training. The waste isolation pilot plant is a Department of Energy facility," St. John said. "We dispose of defense generated TRU waste, which is nuclear waste leftover from the research and production of nuclear weapons."
During the training, an accident was simulated between multiple cars, some of which contained chemicals that normally go through WIPP.
Some of the boxes on the ground had been "breached" but a large truck on the side of the road with more dangerous chemicals was not damaged.
While teams in hazmat suits scanned the area for radiation leaks, police officers blocked off the area while medical teams tended to any of the wounded.
The simulation was meant for first responders to get a first-hand experience into how they should react if a scenario like this happens.
"This is a scenario where medical grade radiation is broken out of its packages." Jerry Bullard, the emergency coordinator for Reeves County, said. "They travel up and down the road with carriers everyday, so this is something that could happen to any community.”
WIPP shipments are considered safe, as over 16 million loaded miles have been transported accident free.
But sometimes, it's better to prepare for anything than to not be prepared at all.
“Learning hands on is a better way of learning," Pecos City Mayor Teresa Winkles said. "You can read all the books you want on what to do in case of a radioactive spill or a severe accident, but it’s actually a hands on practice that you know where to go.”