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Nov 1, 2005 12:00 PM

All indications are that American Chemistry Council (ACC) member company facilities have weathered Hurricanes Katrina and Rita without any significant releases.

This is the result of a continuous process of safety and emergency response planning and training. Under Responsible Care, all members of ACC have long-established emergency plans, and these plans were activated in close cooperation with local, state, and national authorities, other businesses, and transportation systems, along the path of the storms.

Typically, these emergency plans include the safe shutdown and lockdown of facilities, removal of vehicles and other equipment, evacuation of and accounting for employees, assistance in community evacuation, and placement of emergency crews on-site, where feasible.

The plans also include a safe, carefully managed return to operations. This process will vary from facility to facility, depending on the extent of storm damage, availability of repair materials and fuel, and ability of employees to come back to work. Many ACC companies are working to provide workers transport and temporary housing, as well as adequate supplies of food and safe drinking water.