Transcription
GETTING UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW FOR THE TOXIC CHEMICAL LEAKING FROM A LARGE STORAGE TANK AT AN AEROSPACE FACILITY. LET'S TAKE A LISTEN.
>> AND COLLEEN, I CAN TELL YOU, AS WE WAIT FOR THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TO GET UNDERWAY, THAT THIS ALL STARTED YESTERDAY IN GARDEN GROVE OFF OF WESTERN AVENUE. A COMPANY CALLED GKN AEROSPACE THERE. NOW SPEAKING. LET'S LISTEN IN.
>> CAPTAIN AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY ON BEHALF OF THE FOR UNIFIED COMMAND AGENCIES, THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY. GARDEN GROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND THE ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY. IN ADDITION TO THE MANY ASSISTING AGENCIES. WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE TODAY. FOR UPDATED INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW OC FIRE AUTHORITY ON X. ADDITIONALLY, A PUBLIC INFORMATION HOTLINE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND THE NUMBER IS (714) 628-7085. THIS AFTERNOON THERE WILL BE FIVE SPEAKERS WITH A BRIEF TIME FOR QUESTIONS AT THE END. TODAY'S SPEAKERS ARE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY INTERIM FIRE CHIEF TJ MCGOVERN, ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY DIVISION CHIEF AND UNIFIED INCIDENT COMMANDER CRAIG COVEY. GARDEN GROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF AND UNIFIED INCIDENT COMMANDER AMIR EL FARAH, CITY OF GARDEN GROVE MAYOR STEPHANIE KLOPFENSTEIN AND ORANGE COUNTY SUPERVISOR JANET NGUYEN.
CHIEF MCGOVERN.
>> THANK YOU, CAPTAIN. GOOD AFTERNOON, TJ MCGOVERN, INTERIM FIRE CHIEF, ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AS WE WORK IN UNIFIED COMMAND WITH OUR PARTNERS, FOR KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY RESPONDED TO A CHEMICAL INCIDENT IN GARDEN GROVE ON WESTERN AVENUE. IT WAS INVOLVING A VAPOR RELEASE FROM A TANK CONTAINING AN INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL USED IN PLASTIC AND MANUFACTURING. ONE OF THE THREE TANKS AFFECTED EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE, ACTIVATING A RELIEF VALVE AND OVERHEAD SPRINKLER SYSTEM TO COOL THE PRODUCT. OCFA RESOURCES WERE ON SCENE IN LESS THAN SIX MINUTES, WITH A ROBUST HAZARDOUS MATERIAL RESPONSE. INITIAL ACTIONS WERE THE SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE, OF THE LIFE OF OUR COMMUNITIES, SUPPORTING THE SYSTEMS THAT THE BUILDING ALREADY HAD IN PLAY WITH UNSTAFFED GROUND MONITORS. AND THAT WAS DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE PEOPLE IN THE VICINITY AS PRECAUTIONS. NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS IN GARDEN GROVE AND STANTON WERE EVACUATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. VAPOR CONDITIONS IMPROVED AND EVACUATION ORDERS WERE LIFTED AFTER THE EVACUATION ORDERS WERE LIFTED. THE FACILITY INDUSTRIAL CREWS CONTINUED TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE REMOVAL AND CONTAINMENT OF THE PRODUCT. HOWEVER, DUE TO A DAMAGED VALVE ON THE TANK, IT CREATED ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES PREVENTING COMPLETE MITIGATION EFFORTS. WITH THESE NEW CIRCUMSTANCES, WE MODIFIED OUR OPERATIONAL PLAN AND RESPONSE PLAN AND OCFA INCIDENT COMMANDER CHIEF CRAIG COVEY WILL SHARE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON WHAT THAT ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL PLAN WAS. WE UNDERSTAND HOW DISRUPTIVE AND FRIGHTENING THIS IS TO THE PUBLIC AND OUR COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENTS CAN EVOLVE QUICKLY AND UNPREDICTABLY, AND SO DID OUR RESPONSE. WHEN OUR INITIAL CREWS RECOGNIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WAS THEIR PRIORITY, MAKE SURE THEY WERE PROTECTED. TOGETHER, WE WILL ALL GET THROUGH THIS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO GET THOSE RESIDENTS THAT WERE EVACUATED BACK IN THEIR HOMES WHEN THE INCIDENT IS MITIGATED, AND IT'S SAFE TO DO THAT. IT IS OUR COMMUNITY'S INTEREST TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND OUT OF HARM'S WAY. THANK YOU FOR ALL BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO OUR INCIDENT COMMANDER, CHIEF CRAIG COVEY.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF MCGOVERN. AS YOU SAID, MY NAME IS CRAIG COVEY. I'M THE INCIDENT COMMANDER AND A DIVISION CHIEF WITH ORANGE COUNTY FIRE. I'M ALSO THE INCIDENT COMMANDER OF ORANGE COUNTY FIRE'S INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM ONE, ON BEHALF OF THE UNIFIED INCIDENT COMMAND TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES MEMBERS FROM ANAHEIM FIRE DEPARTMENT, GARDEN GROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CYPRESS POLICE DEPARTMENT, ANAHEIM POLICE DEPARTMENT, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AN ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY. EACH OF THOSE AGENCIES HAS ONE MEMBER AS PART OF THE UNIFIED COMMAND, SO THAT WE CAN ALL WORK IN COLLABORATION TO MITIGATE THIS INCIDENT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO TO GO A LITTLE BIT BEYOND WHAT CHIEF MCGOVERN EXPRESSED. SO THESE TANKS, THERE'S THREE OF THEM THERE, THE TANK THAT IS THE MOST COMPROMISED AND IN CRISIS CURRENTLY HAS, WE ESTIMATE, SOMEWHERE AROUND 7000 GALLONS OF THIS CHEMICAL LEFT IN IT. THE OTHER TWO TANKS, ONE OF THEM, WE WERE ABLE TO INDUCE A AGENT TO NEUTRALIZE IT. AND WE'VE SECURED ITS VOLATILITY. THE OTHER TANK, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL. BUT IT IS NOT IN CRISIS LIKE THE PRIMARY TAKE THAT TANK, WHEN IT HEATED UP ON THE FIRST DAY ACTUALLY BULGED. IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE IT DID. IT DOES WHAT WE CALL A LEVY, WHICH IS A BOILING LIQUID EXPANDING VAPOR EXPLOSION. IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN VIDEOS OF TANK CARS ON A RAILROAD TRACK BLOWING UP AND THAT FIREBALL IT PUTS OUT AND IT BLOWS HALF THE TANK CAR HALF A MILE DOWN THE TRAIN TRACK. THAT'S THE INCIDENT POTENTIAL WE ARE DEALING WITH. IF THIS IF THIS SUFFERS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THAT'S WHY, IN AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, WE HAVE REISSUED THE EVACUATION AND AFTER CONTINUED INFORMATION GETTING IN FROM OUR HAZMAT TEAM ON SCENE, WE INCREASED THE SAFETY ZONE. AND THIS IS WHY THE MANUFACTURER HAS A RESPONSE TEAM. THEY WORK TOGETHER WITH US TO GO IN AND MITIGATE THAT. WE HAD INITIAL, REALLY GOOD SUCCESS AFTER WE COOLED THOSE TANKS DOWN WITH THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM AND OUR HOSE STREAMS. BUT WHILE THEY WERE TRYING TO UNLOAD ALL THOSE THINGS AND NEUTRALIZE THEM, PUT THE CHEMICALS IN TO NEUTRALIZE THEM, THEY DISCOVERED THE PRIMARY TANK THAT'S IN CRISIS. WE WERE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE VALVES. THE VALVES ARE BROKEN. THEY'RE GUMMED UP WITH THE AGENT, AND WE'RE UNABLE TO OFFLOAD THE MATERIAL THROUGH THE SYSTEMS THAT IT HAS. SO THAT'S THE POINT WE'RE AT. THEY ADVISED US. THEY HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN, AND THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING TO MITIGATE THAT TANK THAT'S IN CRISIS. SO WE HAVE ASSEMBLED A TEAM TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. OUR HAZMAT TEAMS FROM IN COUNTY AND WITH THE HEALTH CARE AGENCY, ARE CALLING PEOPLE ALL OVER THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY TO GET TOGETHER WITH IDEAS HOW WE CAN SAFELY GO IN THERE AND DEPRESSURIZE A PRESSURIZED TANK AND MITIGATE THE EXPOSURE THAT IT HAS. WHAT WE WERE TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURERS TECH REP IS THAT ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE AT TWO CURRENT OPTIONS AND OUTCOMES OF THIS TANK. ONE, IT FAILS AND CRACKS AND ALL THE PRODUCT LEAKS OUT ONTO THE GROUND. NOW WE'VE WE'VE CREATED CONTAINMENT BARRIERS IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT. THAT'S ROUGHLY 7000 GALLONS OF LIQUID GOING OUT ON THE GROUND. WE'VE CONTAINED. WE'VE MADE SAND BARRIERS. WE'VE DONE OUR EFFORTS TO MITIGATE IT FROM GETTING INTO THE STORM DRAINS AND THE RIVER CHANNELS AND INTO OUR OCEANS THAT WE KNOW ARE CLOSE TO US. SO IN, IN A IN A WEIRD WORLD, THAT'S THE BEST CASE SCENARIO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BECAUSE ONCE IT COMES OUT, IT IS NO LONGER AN EXPLOSIVE HAZARD. AND OUR HAZMAT TEAMS IN THEIR CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE SUITS CAN GO IN, NEUTRALIZE AND MITIGATE THE VAPORS THAT WILL BE COMING OFF OF THAT. THE PLUME THAT WILL COME OFF OF THAT LEAK WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN THERE AND SECURE IT, MITIGATE IT, AND RETURN THIS COMMUNITY. THE OTHER OPTION THAT WAS TOLD TO US IS THAT IT BLOWS UP. THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE HANDED A LEAKING TANK OR A TANK THAT BLOWS UP. THAT'S WHY WE EXTENDED THE EVACUATION TODAY IN AN OVERABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. THIS IS HIGHLY VOLATILE. IT'S HIGHLY TOXIC, AND IT'S HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. SO WE PUT OUT THE MESSAGE EARLIER. I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS IS NOT PRECAUTIONARY. THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN UNLESS SOME BRILLIANT GUY BEHIND ME HERE FIGURES OUT HOW WE CAN MITIGATE THIS INCIDENT. THIS THING IS GOING TO FAIL. WE DON'T KNOW WHEN. I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW HOW LONG WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE. I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO YOU ON THAT. AT SOME POINT, THIS IS GOING TO FAIL, AND WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO FIGURE OUT THE NGUYEN OR HOW WE CAN PREVENT IT. BUT AT THIS POINT, THE ONLY TWO OPTIONS THAT ARE FACING US ONLY PLAN IS OUT THERE IS THIS THING FAILING, AND WE REACT AND MITIGATE WHAT KIND OF FAILURE OCCURS AGAIN. RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO ACTIVE GAS LEAK COMING OFF THAT THING. WE HAVE COOLED IT DOWN ENOUGH THAT THE PURGE VALVE THAT IS ON TOP OF IT IS NO LONGER PURGING ANY KIND OF PRODUCT FROM THE LIQUIDS THERE. SO THE COMMUNITY IS SAFE. THERE'S NOTHING IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW. BUT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ACTIVE MONITORING AROUND THE AREA TO ENSURE WE'RE NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING OUT THERE THAT WE'RE NOT AWARE OF. WE'RE MONITORING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE TANK WITH DRONES, CONSTANTLY TRYING TO VALIDATE WHAT THE EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE IS. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A SET TEMPERATURE WHERE WHEN IT REACHES THAT POINT, WE KNOW THE TANK IS GOING INTO THERMAL RUNAWAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO PULL EVERYBODY OUT OF THE AREA, MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE, AND LET THE TANK DO WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING OUT HERE. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO COMMUNICATE, TO COMMUNICATE OUT TO OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLY EVOLVING, DYNAMIC INCIDENT ALL NIGHT. LAST NIGHT I ACTUALLY WENT HOME FOR A LITTLE BIT THINKING WE GOT THIS THING GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, GOT WOKEN UP AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING GOING, NOPE, IT'S GONE THE WRONG DIRECTION NOW. SO THIS IS VERY SERIOUS. THIS IS THIS EVACUATION NEEDS TO BE PAID ATTENTION TO. PEOPLE NEED TO GET OUT OF THEIR HOUSES AND GET INTO A SAFE SPACE. BECAUSE WHEN THIS THING GOES DEPENDING ON WIND DIRECTION, IT'S GOING. WE CANNOT CONTROL THE WEATHER. WE CANNOT CONTROL IT. SO THAT'S WHY WE PUT A EVACUATION CIRCLE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE AN EFFECT NO MATTER WHICH WAY THE WIND IS BLOWING AT THAT TIME. OKAY, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND GETTING THIS MESSAGE OUT TO YOUR COMMUNITIES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M POLICE CHIEF AMIR EL FARO WITH THE GARDEN GROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I WILL TELL YOU, THIS IS A LARGE SCALE EVENT AND OUR EVACUATION ZONE IS QUITE LARGE. CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED IS GARDEN GROVE, CYPRESS, STANTON, ANAHEIM, BUENA PARK, WESTMINSTER. WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT OC SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THEIR MOBILE FIELD FORCE CONFIGURATION TO ASSIST IN THOSE EVACUATIONS, AS WELL AS OUR ALLIED PARTNERS AND ADJOINING CITIES NEARBY. THE EVACUATION AREA CONSISTS OF BALL STREET TO THE NORTH, TRASK AVENUE TO THE SOUTH, DALE TO THE EAST, AND VALLEY VIEW BOULEVARD TO THE WEST. THIS IS A LARGE SCALE OPERATION THAT IS DRAWING A LOT OF RESOURCES, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITIES BEING SAFE AT THIS TIME, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED IN OUR COMMUNITY BY THIS EVACUATION ZONE. WE HAVE SEVERAL, SEVERAL EVACUATION CENTERS SET UP FOR YOU, THE FIRST BEING AT GARDEN GROVE SPORTS AND RECREATION CENTER, LOCATED AT 13641 DEODARA DRIVE, THAT'S IN GARDEN GROVE, CALIFORNIA. 92844. THE SECOND ONE IS IN THE CITY OF CYPRESS AT 5700 ORANGE AVENUE, CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA. 90630. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TELL OUR COMMUNITY THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT FOR US, SOMEWHAT UNPRECEDENTED. PLEASE ADHERE TO EVACUATION ORDERS FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE PERSPECTIVE. OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY IS YOUR SAFETY AND SECURITY. SO PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT WE'RE TELLING YOU. WE HAVE MULTIPLE OUTLETS POSTING UPDATED INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR PARTNERS IN THE MEDIA. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I'M MAYOR OF GARDEN GROVE, STEPHANIE KLOPFENSTEIN, YOU JUST HEARD FROM CFA AND THE GARDEN GROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS INCIDENT AND THE STEPS BEING TAKEN TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. MY MESSAGE TO OUR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYEES IN THE AFFECTED AREA IS DIRECT. PLEASE FOLLOW ALL EVACUATION ORDERS, ROAD CLOSURES AND INSTRUCTIONS FROM EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS FRIGHTENING. WE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR HOMES, THEIR BUSINESSES, THEIR PETS AND THEIR LOVED ONES. BUT THE EVACUATION ORDERS ARE IN PLACE FOR YOUR SAFETY. THE CITY'S PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT LIFE AND KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY. WE WANT TO GET EVERYONE'S HOME REOPENED IN THE AREA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DETERMINE IF IT IS SAFE FIRST, TO THOSE WHO HAVE EVACUATED AND COOPERATED WITH PUBLIC SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS. THANK YOU. YOUR COOPERATION IS HELPING FIRST RESPONDERS FOCUS ON THE INCIDENT AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO KEEP US SAFE. TO EVERYONE STILL IN EVACUATION AREAS, PLEASE LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION. AND NOW IT IS NOT THE TIME TO WAIT. PLEASE LEAVE NOW. THE CITY OF GARDEN GROVE HAS ALSO OPENED A 24 HOUR CALL CENTER FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO NEED INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE. THE NUMBER IS (714) 741-5444, THAT'S 714741544. FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT CITY.ORG/EMERGENCY. I WANT TO THANK OCFA, THE GARDEN GROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CITY STAFF AND ALL MUTUAL AID AGENCIES FOR WORKING UNDER DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, COOPERATION, AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER AS THIS RESPONSE CONTINUES. AT THIS TIME, YOU'LL NOW HEAR FROM SUPERVISOR JANET NGUYEN.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST AND FOREMOST, MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH EVERY RESIDENTS, FAMILY AND STUDENTS IMPACTED BY THIS INCIDENT. I GREW UP IN THIS COMMUNITY, SO THIS IS PERSONAL TO ME. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I, THE COUNTY AND AQMD ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE YOU ARE SAFE, INFORMED AND SUPPORTED THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THIS SITUATION. AS YOUR COUNTY SUPERVISOR AND AS A GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER OF THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, I WANT RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT AGENCY AT EVERY LEVEL ARE ACTIVELY COORDINATING TO PROTECT YOUR SAFETY AND HEALTH. EMERGENCY RESPONDERS REMAIN ON SCENE, WORKING TO WORKING TO SAFELY CONTAIN THE INCIDENT AND EVACUATION ORDERS REMAIN IN PLACE. WE URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. DOCTOR C K, OUR COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER, COUNTY HAZMAT TEAM FROM HCA, THE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY, HAVE BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT ON SITE TO SUPPORT THE FIRST RESPONDERS. AQMD HAS DEPLOYED EQUIPMENT TO MEASURE AIR QUALITY AND NGUYEN IN REAL TIME. THIS WILL HELP EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ASSESS CONDITIONS AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT MONITORING SHOWS THAT THE AIR QUALITY IS WITHIN TYPICAL LEVELS. WE WILL CONTINUE MONITORING FOR ANY CHANGES. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE AGENCY AND ORGANIZATION WORKING HARD TO KEEP RESIDENTS INFORMED AS THE SITUATION DEVELOPS. CLEAR, TIMELY AND ACCURATE INFORMATION IS CRITICAL DURING EMERGENCY, AND WE APPRECIATE THE CONTINUED EFFORTS TO PROVIDE UPDATES TO THE COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY, CITY OF GARDEN GROVE, THE GARDEN GROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT, COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AQMD, THE US, EPA, THE GOVERNOR, CAL OES AND ALL THE RESPONDING AGENCY FOR THEIR PROMPT RESPONSE AND COORDINATING EFFORTS DURING THIS INCIDENT. WE WILL CONTINUE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT AND TAKE CARE OF OUR RESIDENTS. UPDATES WILL CONTINUE TO BE SHARED AS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS. WE'RE NOW GOING TO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. MICHELLE.
>> WHAT IF THERE'S. PEOPLE DIE IF THEY.
>> BRING IN POINTS?
>> OKAY. THE QUESTION WAS REGARDING WHAT TYPE OF WHAT THE CHEMICAL IS AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ARE.
>> THANK YOU MICHELLE. I FIGURED THAT QUESTION WOULD COME UP AND REMEMBER WHAT I SAID. I HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF REALLY SMART PEOPLE BEHIND ME. I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE DIVISION CHIEF NICK FREEMAN HERE. HE'S OUR HAZMAT PROGRAM MANAGER AND HAS GOT MULTIPLE YEARS IN HAZMAT EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND HE'S GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS NICK FREEMAN. I'M DIVISION CHIEF WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY. TO THE QUESTION THE PRODUCT INVOLVED. THANK YOU. IS METHYL METHACRYLATE. IT IS A HIGHLY TOXIC, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED SUBSTANCE. SO IT COULD IMPACT RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, CAUSE SKIN IRRITATION AND EYE IRRITATION. THE OTHER CONCERN WE HAVE IS IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE AND IN ITS CURRENT STATE, VERY REACTIVE AND CAN CAUSE THAT EXPLOSION, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THAT HARD PERIMETER IN PLACE.
>> ALL RIGHT. NEXT QUESTION. BIANCA.
>> IF YOU COULD SHARE AN UPDATE ON THE EFFORTS TO NOTIFY EVERYONE IF PEOPLE ARE COOPERATING WITH LAW.
>> SO THE QUESTION WAS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IMPACTED AND HAVE HAD TO EVACUATE, AND HOW HAVE THE NOTIFICATIONS BEEN GOING OUT AND ARE THEY COOPERATING? CHIEF ALFARO.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. SO RIGHT NOW, WE BELIEVE AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT 4000 PEOPLE IMPACTED IN THE EVACUATION AREA. AS FAR AS THE COOPERATION LEVELS, WE ARE TRACKING THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING ABOUT A 15% ONE FIVE REFUSAL RATE. AS FAR AS HOW WE ARE GETTING THE MESSAGING OUT, WE'VE DONE A 911 REVERSE CALL TO EVERYONE IN THAT EVACUATION AREA SOCIAL MEDIA POST. WE'RE CONSTANTLY UPDATING IT AND GETTING THAT MESSAGING OUT. SO IT IS OUT THERE IF PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION. BUT THIS IS WHERE WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY TO REALLY COME TOGETHER. THIS IS WHERE WE NEED OUR PARTNERS IN THE MEDIA TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT. TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS WHAT'S GOING ON. IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, AND WE ARE MONITORING SENSITIVE LOCATIONS FOR ANY ADDITIONAL NEEDS AND RESOURCES THAT WE CAN PUT THAT WAY. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU ON THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO THIS IS A DYNAMIC SITUATION, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN RESOLVE THIS QUICKLY, BUT EVERYONE NEEDS TO TAKE THE SAFETY MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE FROM THEIR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICES AND ADHERE TO THOSE SO THEY CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE COMPLETELY SAFE. THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, MA'AM.
>> DOES THAT MEAN YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY COMMENT? POSTMILE.
>> SO. SO FIRST, LET'S ADDRESS THE VALVE QUESTION YOU HAD. SO YOU WERE WONDERING THE IMPACTS OF THE VALVE AND HOW THAT IMPACTED OPERATIONS? CHIEF FREEMAN.
>> YEAH. SO TO THE QUESTION OF THE VALVE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE VALVES ON THIS TANK. WHILE WE WERE DOING THE TRANSFERRING PROCESS AND ALSO TRYING TO INTRODUCE A STABILIZER INTO THE TANK TO TAKE AWAY THE CONCERN, IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WAS NO FLOW GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TANK, BASICALLY, MEANING THERE'S SOME FORM OF INCLUSION IN THE VALVES AND WE ARE UNABLE TO GET ANYTHING OUT AND WE ARE UNABLE TO GET ANYTHING IN TO STABILIZE THESE TANKS.
>> THAT KIND OF GETS IN THE AIR BREATHING IT IN. WHAT KIND OF SYMPTOMS OVERLOAD THE EMERGENCY SYSTEM.
>> SO THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. AS FAR AS SYMPTOMOLOGY, AS I PREVIOUSLY STATED, RESPIRATORY IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN. SO IT'S A RESPIRATORY IRRITANT. SO IT CAN START OFF VERY MILD, BUT IT CAN PROGRESS TO A POINT WHERE, YES, YOU WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION, IF NOT MORE. THE OTHER INDICATORS MORE EARLY ON ARE GOING TO BE SKIN AND EYE IRRITATION. THAT MIGHT BE FELT BY ANYBODY THAT IS EXPOSED. SHOULD THERE BE A RELEASE. BOTH. YOU'LL HAVE IT. YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL. IF WE HAVE A MAJOR RELEASE FOR AN ACUTE IMPACT, AND THEN IF THERE IS A PROLONGED RELEASE, THERE COULD BE A CHRONIC IMPACT DEPENDING ON WHAT OCCURS IN THIS INCIDENT.
>> FOR SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE HEALTH IMPACT, WE'RE GOING TO INVITE COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER DOCTOR C K UP. SHE CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT.
>> YES. GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AS STATED, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO HEED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO EVACUATE IF YOU WERE TOLD SO PLEASE EVACUATE. SO WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT METHYL METHYL METHACRYLATE, WHICH I'M GOING TO REFER TO AS MMA, IS THAT IT IS A CHEMICAL THAT IS VERY TOXIC. WHAT WE KNOW IN TERMS OF HUMAN HEALTH IS THAT WE HAVE VERY LIMITED CASE REPORTS OF EXPOSURE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE LIMITED SHORT TERM EXPOSURE, MEANING MAYBE YOU INHALED SOME OF THE VAPOR, IT CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT IRRITATION IN THE LUNGS, THE NASAL PASSAGES, AND IT CAN ALSO CAUSE NAUSEA. IT CAN ALSO CAUSE DIZZINESS AT VERY HIGH LEVELS. IT CAN REALLY CAUSE SEVERE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS AND HOSPITALIZATION. AND THIS IS WHERE WE REALLY NEED EVERYBODY TO HEED ALL OF THE EVACUATION ORDERS IN TERMS OF LONG TERM CONSEQUENCE, LONG TERM CONSEQUENCE. IT WILL AFFECT OTHER ORGANS IN TERMS OF THE BIRDS AND DIFFERENT ANIMALS. DIFFERENT ANIMALS ARE AFFECTED DIFFERENTLY. AGAIN, I'M WORKING WITH EPA AND SOUTH COAST AQMD DIFFERENT SPECIALISTS TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. AND AGAIN, THE REASON WHY THE EVACUATION ZONE WAS EXPANDED WAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THE POTENTIAL OF A PLUME. SO AGAIN, IF YOU'RE IN THE AREA AND YOU WERE TOLD TO EVACUATE, PLEASE EVACUATE. SO THOSE ARE ANIMAL STUDIES. IN TERMS OF THE HUMAN EFFECT. WE DON'T KNOW THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCE. BUT ALREADY IF IT HAS THAT TYPE OF EFFECT IN MICE, IT CAN HAVE THE SAME EFFECT IN HUMANS.
>> WHICH IS.
>> YES, WE'RE IN A THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION. WE DON'T HAVE INFORMATION OF A SIMILAR SITUATION WHERE THIS HAPPENED. RIGHT? SO WE ARE WE'RE GOING INTO UNIQUE TIMES AND WE HAVE LIMITED INFORMATION. WE KNOW IT DOES CAUSE IRRITATION. WE KNOW ON THE OCCUPATIONAL SIDE, PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH THIS MATERIAL ARE ADVISED TO WEAR GOGGLES OR RESPIRATORS. TRY NOT TO GET IN CONTACT. IF IT GETS IN CONTACT WITH THE SKIN, IT CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT SKIN IRRITATION OR ALLERGY.
>> OKAY, WE GOT TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION, SIR.
>> HOW LONG DOES. SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> OKAY. FIRST QUESTION WAS, IS THE SUBSTANCE HEAVIER OR LIGHTER THAN AIR? CHIEF FRIEDMAN WILL HANDLE THAT. AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE DOC.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THIS PRODUCT IS HEAVIER THAN AIR, SO IT'S GOING TO SETTLE AND SINK INTO THE LOWER AREAS IN AND AROUND THAT FACILITY. AND ANY LOW HOLDING PLACES.
>> CLOSE.
>> WE ARE ANTICIPATING AND JUST PLANNING FOR THAT AS AN INEVITABILITY, WHICH IS PART OF OUR ISOLATION ZONES THAT WE'VE DONE UTILIZING OUR CURRENT WIND AND WEATHER CONDITIONS. IN THAT SCENARIO.
>> THE DEATH.
>> NO INJURIES OR DEATHS AT THIS POINT.
>> FOLKS. SO WE'RE GOING TO FINISH HIS OTHER PART OF HIS QUESTION. AND THEN THAT'S GOING TO BE IT FOR TODAY. SO, DOC, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND EXPLAIN THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS, IF SOMEBODY WAS TO INHALE THE SUBSTANCE.
>> SO THIS DEPENDS ON THE CONCENTRATION OF EXPOSURE. WE DON'T KNOW. WE DON'T KNOW IN TERMS OF IF THERE WAS A PLUME, HOW HEAVY OF A PLUME AND CONCENTRATION OF THE SUBSTANCE WOULD BE IN THAT PLUME. SO IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN, WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE AWAY FROM THE ZONE THAT WE HAVE CREATED TO TO SAFEGUARD EVERYBODY'S HEALTH.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE STATEMENT THAT I BELIEVE CHIEF KOBE TALKED ABOUT. WE ARE ACTIVELY, ACTIVELY MONITORING THE AIR, AND THOSE LIMITS RIGHT NOW ARE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. WE ARE ACTIVELY MONITORING THEM. THEY ARE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEM.
>> ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, THAT'S GOING TO CONCLUDE THE SPEAKING PORTION OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY. AND THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR THEIR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THIS INCIDENT. PLEASE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW OC FIRE AUTHORITY.
>> OKAY. YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING LIVE THERE TO AUTHORITIES WITH THE OC FIRE AUTHORITY AND THE POLICE CHIEF THERE IN GARDEN GROVE OF THIS VERY DYNAMIC, UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION IN GARDEN GROVE, OF THIS TANK, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, BEST CASE SCENARIO THAT IT WILL SPILL, BUT CALLING THE POTENTIAL THAT IT COULD EXPLODE.
>> THIS IS A DIRE SITUATION. PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE EVACUATION ZONE, YOU HEARD IT SO MANY TIMES. WE WILL REPEAT IT. EVACUATE AGAIN. THIS IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND HAZMAT SITUATION. YOU CAN SEE THE TANK THAT'S RIGHT THERE. THEY SAY IT'S IN CRISIS. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THIS TO MITIGATE ITSELF. AND THEY'RE HAVING A VERY HARD TIME. SO AGAIN, IF YOU ARE IN THIS EVACUATION ZONE, YOU MUST EVACUATE. WE ARE CERTAINLY FOLLOWING THIS. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE VERY LATEST ON EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 3:00. WE WILL HAVE TEAM COVERAGE.
>> ALSO. FOLLOW THE LATEST ONLINE ABC 7 DOT COM. WE'LL SEE YOU COMING UP AT 3 P.M.
>> THIS HAS BEEN BREAKING NEWS ON EYEWITNESS NEWS. GET ALERTED FIRST.