Jan. 30, 2002 – Hovensa announced Wednesday that it will conduct an evacuation drill on Saturday for employees and their families who reside in company housing.
The purpose of the drill, it said, is to ensure that all residents know the giant refinery's emergency housing evacuation procedures.
Should there be an actual need to evacuate residents of company housing immediately downwind of an emergency point, a siren there would sound "as a signal for all persons in that area to leave immediately and go to their designated assembly area," a Hovensa release distributed Wednesday stated.
In the event of a real disaster, the release said, if hazardous fumes or smoke are expected to have an impact on homes and businesses outside the rerinery complex, Hovensa will notify the Local Emergency Planning Committee. The committee then will alert persons in the areas expected to be affected to evacuate the premises until the emergency is over.
