Irvine Ranch Water District
http://www.irwd.com/liquid-news/news-releases/archive/emergency-drills-keep-irwd-crews-prepared.html
Emergency Drills Keep IRWD Crews Prepared
Published Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
IRWD customers can be confident that when it comes to being prepared for emergencies, specially trained IRWD employees are ready to respond.
IRWD recently conducted the annual emergency drill designed to test the capabilities of the District’s response in emergency situations. In the event of any disaster, such as earthquakes, storms or fires, IRWD’s top priority is to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for our customers.
This year’s emergency exercise created real-life scenarios that might be encountered following a major earthquake. IRWD employees received hands on training on what to do in the aftermath of a major earthquake and how to quickly respond to unexpected situations.
“No one ever knows what to expect during these drills,” said Dave Pedersen, IRWD Director of Water Operations, “We just show up and start working. It’s very realistic and we take our responsibility seriously. I’m very proud of how prepared IRWD employees are and how hard we work to stay that way.”
IRWD takes a proactive approach to emergency preparation and has a District-wide Emergency Plan that provides an organized response to emergency situations and enables staff to work effectively and efficiently. IRWD also coordinates with outside agencies to ensure that it has adequate resources for emergencies.
While IRWD’s emergency drill is exercised annually, it has been put to the test during major real-life events, such as the Santiago Fire in the fall of 2007, the El Nino storms of winter 1997-98 and the Laguna Beach fire of fall 1993.
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