A successful Worst Case Drill was recently completed at the CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex in Louisiana. This special employee preparation and training exercise also included partnership and coordination with local, state and federal agencies in the event of possible worst case scenarios.

The company holds training drills every year, including the Worst Case Drill every third year. This is part of CITGO’s ongoing commitment to, and emphasis on, the critical importance of safety in its daily operations and culture. The focus of the drill is a pretend worst case situation at the refinery. Over a three-day period, employees and partners respond to the situation in a simulated environment, actively following refinery protocol and procedures in real time throughout the simulation.

Source: Citgo

The Worst Case Drill creates an environment for CITGO personnel to practice handling real-life, tough situations, said Jerry Dunn, CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex vice president and general manager. "Safety is present in every facet of our operations here at CITGO. We can't thank our local agencies enough for their support during the drill, as well as their commitment to helping us provide the safest operations for our employees and the community."

CITGO partners with agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard, Louisiana State Police, the U.S. Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"These types of exercises and training allow us to assess preparedness and improve our response and contingency plans. It facilitates collaboration between federal, state and local response agencies in addition to private entities, providing a valuable learning experience ahead of any environmental incident," said Commander Nicole Rodriguez, U.S. Coast Guard.