The Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office recently teamed up with Energy Transfer LP staff for a simulated gas-leak emergency drill. Energy Transfer LP specializes in the transportation, storage, and terminaling of natural gas, crude oil, NGLs, refined products, and liquid natural gas.
“There’s a lot of pipelines in the parish and they’re located in both heavily populated and rural areas,” Sheriff Jason Parker stated. “We have to be prepared to immediately take action, and that’s what this training session was designed to study.”
During the drill, each department’s responsibilities were reviewed to enhance understanding of their roles in emergency scenarios. Parker emphasized the importance of collaboration between private and public entities in preventing a pipeline failure from escalating into a disaster.
“If the event involved Energy Transfer, they have a response plan that would involve our department and other affected law enforcement agencies,,” Parker explained. “We would join with fire departments from Minden and nearby communities, Homeland Security and state agencies to incorporate a coordinated response.”
Sheriff Parker highlighted that ensuring the safety of Webster Parish residents requires constant preparedness and training for unforeseen events.
“We are constantly training and planning, and I believe that helps us improve in the ways important to the safety of the people of Webster Parish,” Parker concluded.