Power plant personnel, local agencies work together during drill at Hoosier Energy’s Ratts Generating Station
For one hour on the evening of August 25, the employees at Hoosier Energy’s Ratts Generating Station and local emergency services of Pike County confronted a situation that they hope will never happen in real life.
The Ratts Station Emergency Response Team, Petersburg Fire Department, Petersburg EMS, Pike County Sheriff Department, Petersburg City Police and Evansville-based Air Evac Lifeteam participated in an emergency drill so that the groups could become more familiar with the power plant layout, operations and emergency protocols.
Hoosier Energy coordinated the drill as part of its corporate commitment to safety for employees and the community. Environmental Health and Safety Generation Specialist Kyle Foli said the agencies worked together for five months to plan the event, which was the biggest emergency drill ever for the agencies as well as the generation and transmission cooperative.
"I think it went very well," Foli said. "The main thing is that no one got hurt and we had good communication. The drill helped us uncover some minor issues. That’s why we do it – to identify and correct issues before they become real problems."
The drill simulated an accident with injuries at the plant. Petersburg and Pike County emergency services teams arrived at the scene and performed rescue missions and other duties as if it were a real emergency.
"The drill and the coordination that took place in planning the event were important in ensuring a good response in an actual emergency situation," Foli said. "Because of the time spent together on this drill, everyone is more familiar with the plant layout and what to expect if they are called on site. We appreciate all the effort by the agencies and individuals involved."
Ratts Generating Station, located at 6825 N. Blackburn Road, along the banks of the White River near Petersburg, began commercial operation in 1970 and has a work force of more than 40 employees. Hoosier Energy is the power supplier for 17 electric cooperatives in central and southern Indiana as well as one in southeastern Illinois.