• Oakland County’s full-scale HazMat exercise will simulate a hazardous materials spill in a railyard, deploying specialized equipment and personnel to assess response capabilities.
• Firefighters and HazMat teams will deploy advanced equipment such as HazMat trucks, protective suits, air monitors and plume modeling software to contain and mitigate the incident.
• There will be interagency coordination among law enforcement, fire departments and emergency management teams to ensure effective incident command, perimeter security and public safety.

Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County, with the support of County Executive Dave Coulter and the Board of Commissioners, will lead an eight-hour full-scale hazardous materials response exercise on Wednesday, April 9. The simulated emergency will replicate the release of ammonia gas after a vehicle intentionally strikes a tank car in a suspected terror incident at the CN Pontiac Terminal on Pershing Avenue in Pontiac.

This exercise, which brings together local, state and federal first responders, will test emergency response capabilities in a high-risk situation near the county government campus from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For the purposes of the drill, winds will be blowing east.

“Preparedness saves lives, and today’s exercise is a testament to Oakland County’s commitment to keeping our residents safe in any situation,” Coulter said. “By working together with our local, state and federal partners, we’re ensuring that if the worst happens, we’re ready to respond quickly and effectively.”

Participating agencies include the Oakland County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department, OakWAY HazMat Team, MABAS 3201 HazMat Team, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, CN Rail, Waterford Regional Fire Department and Waterford Police Department.

“By bringing together multiple agencies, we’re strengthening a whole-community approach to disaster preparedness, ensuring a swift and coordinated response when it matters most,” said Thom Hardesty, director of Oakland County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department (OCEMHSD). “This full-scale exercise - where firefighters, law enforcement, HazMat teams, and our private sector and local government partners work side by side - enhances our collective readiness.”

Oakland County’s full-scale HazMat exercise will test emergency response capabilities in the event of a hazardous-materials spill from a railcar. First responders must identify and contain the leak, rescue victims and establish decontamination procedures while HazMat teams work to shut off the spill and protect the public through HazMat modeling and emergency communications.

The exercise also will evaluate command-and-control coordination, requiring multiple fire departments, law enforcement, CN Rail and emergency management officials to establish a Unified Command, manage evacuations, address traffic disruptions and conduct a criminal investigation. The drill emphasizes interagency collaboration to ensure an effective, coordinated response.

“Large-scale hazardous materials emergencies are low-frequency, high-risk incidents. Exercises like this are important to allow responders to practice and validate our emergency plans and technology and build relationships with responders we’ll be working with when an incident happens,” said Dan Dumas, leader of the OakWAY HazMat Team, and Gary Sharp, leader of the MABAS 3201 HazMat Team, in a joint statement.

Fire departments and HazMat teams will utilize a fire engine, rescue squad, OakWAY HazMat truck and the OCEMHSD HazMat engine to contain and mitigate the simulated spill. Responders will wear firefighter turnout gear, Level A and B HazMat suits and self-contained breathing apparatus to safely operate in hazardous conditions.

Advanced tools - including Midland Kits for leak control, Area Array air monitors and plume modeling software – will help assess and manage the spread of hazardous materials. Law enforcement will also be on-site with police vehicles to assist with perimeter security and incident command.

“OakWAY is always looking for an opportunity to hone our skills in advanced incidents,” said Steve McInerney of the Birmingham Fire Department and OakWAY HazMat Team. “Large-scale HazMat incidents are rare events that often require a significant number of resources, highly trained personnel and equipment. An opportunity to train with our neighboring HazMat Team from MABAS 3201, as we are doing in this exercise, will aid us if a real-life incident occurs.”

In tandem with the field exercise, select county departments and divisions will participate in a tabletop exercise, implementing their Continuity of Operations Plans to ensure a coordinated response to the effects of the hazardous material release near the county government campus.

Supporting agencies included Henry Ford Health System, McLaren-Oakland Hospital, Corewell Health and Livingston County.

More than 160 personnel from multiple agencies will participate in Oakland County’s full-scale HazMat and tabletop exercises. The full-scale exercise involves nearly 100 first responders, including 38 HazMat specialists from the OakWAY and MABAS 3201 HazMat teams, 29 firefighters from various departments and 24 members of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, alongside representatives from CN Rail, the FBI and county emergency management teams.

An additional 40-plus participants from Oakland County government departments will take part in the tabletop exercise, refining crisis management and coordination strategies. Controllers, evaluators and safety officers - including personnel from the Michigan State Police, local fire departments, hospitals and emergency management teams will oversee both exercises to ensure a comprehensive assessment of response efforts.

Oakland County’s last full-scale disaster exercise was held on Sept. 17, 2024, to practice various rescue scenarios for a simulated collapse of a six-story apartment building in Downtown Rochester. Special operations and incident management teams from Oakland, Wayne and Livingston counties tested their skills in the daylong drill that challenged first responders with a rope rescue, a confined space extrication and a tower rescue.