Press Release
April 14, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Propane Emergency Response Presentation and Live Drill
Paraco Gas (and the New York Propane Gas Association) will be hosting an Emergency Response Training and Railroad Tank Car Presentation on Saturday, April 22, 2006. With a confirmed class attendee list of over 125 people, it is on track to be the largest event that the propane industry/Paraco Gas Corp. has ever offered to emergency responders and the fire services in the NY Metropolitan Area. Attendees will include several LI fire departments along with many first response units.
Other attending agencies include:
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Riverhead PD |
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Riverhead Fire Marshal |
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Office of Emergency Management |
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New York Atlantic Railroad |
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Federal Railroad |
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Federal DOT (FRA) (will be on hand to speak on security issues) |
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EMS, OEM, OFP |
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Suffolk County Hazmat Team |
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Nassau County Fire Marshals |
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Neighboring Fire Departments (Mutual Aid) |
The course covers physical properties and characteristics of propane bulk transportation design and construction features, valves and railroad tank cars. The training includes general emergency procedures and tactical response guidelines to include the proper response procedures to be used in a propane-related emergency situation. It will include preliminary classroom courses for three evenings complementing a lifelike emergency exercise.
The entire group will assemble on Saturday for a full-scale live drill to simulate a railcar leak. This realistic drill will put the participants in a staged emergency situation and show them exactly what to expect when an emergency occurs. Attendees will learn what procedures to follow to ensure that the situation is controlled properly.
The lead instructor and coordinator of the event, Mr. Mike DiGiorgio, is Director of Transportation and Safety for Paraco Gas Corporation. Mike is a member of the Propane Gas Defense Association, and is on the Board of Directors for the Defense Association, the NYS Emergency Response Team, National Fire Protection Association, Safety Management Council, Propane Gas Emergency Response Committee and the New York State Fire Marshals Association. Mike’s extensive training and unparalleled expertise make him a leading expert in propane-related safety and emergency mitigation. Paraco Gas, recently ranked as one of the top 20 propane companies in the United States, is committed to the communities which it services and is strongly dedicated to promoting propane awareness and safe handling procedures. Paraco is located throughout New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania with local offices in Bayshore and Riverhead, Long Island.
A co-instructor for this training is Matthew Larabee from Larabee Fuel Co. Matt has a degree in Fire Protection Technology from Schenectady County College, has been an emergency responder for the last 4 years, and is an instructor for the New York Propane Gas Association. Matthew also teaches the Flammable Gas Workshop at the New York State Academy of Fire Science and is on the Columbia County Hazmat Team. He has been an active member of the New Lebanon Fire Department for 24 years and an officer for 17 years.
Another co-instructor for this training is John Heart from Ray Murray, Inc. John has over 32 years of experience in the propane industry and is a former chairman of the NY State Emergency Response Committee. He is currently an instructor at the State Academy of Fire Sciences in Montour Falls for Propane Emergencies. He is also a member of NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and sits on the National Technologies and Standards Committee, which helps write the standards that govern our industry with relation to propane storage. |
