Delaware Emergency Management Agency Port of Wilmington HazMat Tabletop and Full-Scale Exercise

The Olson Group, Ltd. (OGL) led the design, conduct, and evaluation of a full scale exercise focusing on hazardous materials response at the Port of Wilmington (1 Hausel Road, Wilmington, DE 19801). The Operation White Cloud Full Scale Exercise, conducted in September 2012, focused on an ammonia leak at the Port, resulting in product contamination, and threats to workers’ and responders’ health and safety, as well as business continuity challenges after the hazardous material was contained. The exercise brought together the Port’s administration and emergency planners, City of Wilmington Emergency Management and first responders, state-level hazardous materials response entities, and private sector partners such as the Port’s tenant companies. The Operation White Cloud FSE identified several areas for improvement, included recommended revisions to the Port’s emergency notifications and operations plans, and coordination issues among Port personnel and outside emergency management and first responders.