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To: Contra Costa Times
Please print the following letter in letters to the editor.
Folly:
The Richmond refinery fire once again shows the folly of our elected officials when it comes to protecting us from industrial mishaps. On our TVs and radios we heard calls from people sheltering in place, how their chest was tightening up, their throat and eyes were burning and they were afraid for their families. We heard from people the first warning they got was burning eyes and throats. We watched the fire burn for hours as mutual aid and assistance could only slow down collateral damage and let the fire burn itself out. And what will happen to mutual aid if an earthquake happens? Are fire agencies going to leave their own communities in flames to fight industrial fires elsewhere? Where was the 30 foot high wall of foam and high tech response we are assured would be there in the event of fire? The burned out shell of a fire truck on scene shows how poorly trained that group of firefighters were. Why do they keep denying the explosions bystanders heard? Do they not want people to know how lucky they are it was not a bigger problem? This brings back memories when I was in the automotive industry. We were told if customers asked if explosives were used in airbags we should reply: “Airbags are powered by a rapidly expanding hot gas.”
Not requiring foaming before the fire starts, not shutting down, putting equipment in harm’s way, not requiring industries to provide enough trained staff with state of the art equipment in numbers to fight any onsite problem without mutual aid is just total incompetence. The truth is even in a small fire like the Richmond fire, fire fighters are ill prepared to stop industrial fires once they start.
And now they are planning on renovating 50 year-old storage tanks that are literally a stones throw away from churches, schools, parks and homes near downtown Pittsburg. We are told not to worry about health problems from chemicals like benzene, we have mutual aid if anything goes wrong, you will get a phone call, you can shelter in place in a 35+ year old house right next to the tank farm. And of course, you will be promptly reimbursed for your “inconvenience” if anything does go wrong.
Tell the Pittsburg City Counsel you are not buying it, no to the crude oil tank farm in Pittsburg.
Sincerely,
James B. MacDonald
Secretary CARE
CAlifornians for Renewable Energy
calfree.com
mailto:jbmd45@yahoo.com
Tag: "Environmental Impact Reports"
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