Protect students

"Mrs. Jones? I'm calling from Everywhere Elementary School ... there's been an accident."

"Yes, we knew the railroad is within a mile from the school. It looked like smoke, no one knew it was anhydrous ammonia."

"We're very sorry. A service will be held for the children early next week"

This conversation should never happen, but it could. There are 14,800 schools and 5.7 million students in the U.S. located within what's been dubbed a "Bomb Train Blast Zone," the two-mile diameter potential impact zone in case of an oil train fire. Chicago, with 77,000 children attending school in this zone, is one of the top five cities having schoolchildren at risk from derailments, releases and explosions.

Local government develops emergency plans for disasters involving hazardous substances. Local Emergency Planning Committees must include elected state and local officials; police, fire, civil defense and public health professionals; environment, transportation and hospital officials; facility representatives; and representatives from community groups and the media. Regular meetings should be held and advertised for the public.

I contacted my LEPC and learned there's no partnership to disseminate information about threats related to the storage and transport of hazardous materials to parents of attending students, faculty and staff and schools at risk of negative impact. Furthermore, school districts aren't included in the development and implementation of response plans specific to incidents involving hazardous materials.

Fortunately, this may soon change. Sen. Laura Murphy recently introduced SB3496 Hazardous Substances-Schools. Representatives Rita Mayfield and Bob Morgan will be chief co-sponsors in the House.

Please call your state legislators and ask them to support this crucial legislation that can save children's lives, so no parent receives a call from school about a catastrophe that should have been avoided.

Gloria Charland

Ingleside