Ottawa, ON – Safety is the number one priority of the fertilizer industry. Fertilizer Canada members have robust systems in place to ensure the safety of their employees, communities and the environment. First responders are critical in ensuring the safety of the themselves and our communities should an incident occur with anhydrous ammonia fertilizer. Today, Fertilizer Canada, in partnership with the Paramedic Association of Canada, Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, launched an update of the Anhydrous Ammonia Awareness for First Responders awareness program, which gives the first responder community educational resources they need to understand the use and handling of agricultural anhydrous ammonia.
“The work first responders do in our communities is unparalleled. Police officers, firefighters and paramedics need to be provided with resources to ensure they have an understanding of agricultural anhydrous ammonia,” said Garth Whyte, President and CEO of Fertilizer Canada. “Fertilizer Canada is committed to providing relevant training materials to ensure the safe and secure use of fertilizer at all levels of the supply chain – that is why our partnership with the first responder community is critical.”
Through the updated Anhydrous Ammonia Awareness for First Responders course, first responders will now have the most up-to-date information on the safe and secure handling of agricultural anhydrous ammonia. The course teaches how to:
- Identify anhydrous ammonia’s basic properties and its uses
- Respond to an agricultural anhydrous ammonia incident
- Perform first aid in the event of anhydrous ammonia exposure
- Establish emergency plans
“Paramedics respond to agricultural and industrial incidents involving the release of harmful gases,” said Pierre Poirier, Executive Director at the Paramedic Association of Canada. “Our response and treatment can determine life and death for patients involved in ammonia gas releases. The collaboration on a training video between Fertilizer Canada and the Paramedic Association of Canada will improve paramedic safety and potentially save patient lives as well.”
“The CAFC Dangerous Goods Industry and Infrastructure Committee was pleased to have an opportunity to partake in this project. Our thanks to Fire Chief Ed Melanson for his leadership. We look forward to sharing the video, intended to supplement and support other education on Anhydrous Ammonia, with the CAFC membership”. Chief Ken Block, CAFC President and Edmonton Fire Chief.
“The CACP is pleased to have been an active partner in the development of this new training program. It is important for police officers to know how to be safe and how to keep the public safe when dealing with incidents involving hazardous goods. The police are an important part of the emergency response plan. The police are often first to respond in an emergency and this new training program provides the information required to safely contend with dangerous incidents involving anhydrous ammonia,” said Chief Constable Adam Palmer, President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
Source : Fertilizer Canada