As the possibility of hydraulic fracturing coming to Athens County looms nearer, local officials have said emergency services are well prepared for a “fracking” accident, but residents are not as comfortable.
Though two safety committees comprised of Athens emergency service employees have begun working on emergency action plans in case of a fracking accident, residents do not think they are equipped to handle a major mishap.
The regulation and protocol for potential drilling accidents is the jurisdiction of both the Ohio Fire Chief’s Association and the oil and gas companies, said Athens Fire Chief Bob Troxel, adding that, despite being understaffed, his department is ready to assist if an accident were to occur.
“(Athens) fire services is being very proactive in terms of preparing for fracking,” he said. “I do not see (accidents) being an issue at all.”
Though the majority of the responsibility for an accident would be on the drilling company, Troxel said rural fire departments — such as Chauncey or Richland, which are in part made up of volunteer firefighters — would be more likely to respond to such an accident because of their proximity to the land leased in Athens.
Christine Hughes, owner of Village Bakery & Café, said Athens is not prepared to handle the costs or get the support it would need to respond to an accident like a well blowout.
“We need to do everything we can to protect ourselves,” Hughes said.
Emergency services’ preparedness has been addressed at several of the recent county commissioners’ meetings. At one of the meetings, Matt Starline, an organic farmer, said that he wants to be ensured Athens firefighters are prepared to handle accidents of this magnitude.
New guidelines to help rural firefighters be more prepared for large-scale accidents have been made, however Mike Warner, president of the Ohio Fire Chief’s Association, was not available for comment on the guidelines after repeated attempts to contact him.
Contrary to the confidence of other officials, Athens City Councilman Kent Butler, D-1st Ward, and Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward, have expressed concerns about the safety of residents in rural Athens County.
“I don’t doubt the preparedness of the Athens city emergency services; they have immense training and know exactly what they are doing,” Butler said. “Though these techniques have been dealt with, I’m worried that our first responders outside the city may not get all the help they need in time.”
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