Thousands of hazardous material shipments pass through our area on roadways, railways and the Columbia River. Several companies in the area store large amounts of hazardous chemicals. Additionally, 12% of the United States’ chemical warfare agents are stored at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. These liquid chemicals are inside munitions such as M55 rockets, land mines, bombs, and large metal containers.
The chance of a chemical accident occurring at the Umatilla Chemical Depot is very small, but the consequences could be very serious. That’s why special plans to protect your kids have been made with schools which are located in the Immediate Response Zone (IRZ) within 10 miles of the Depot. If there’s a chemical emergency at the Depot, some schools will shelter students indoors. Other schools will evacuate students by bus. See list under map.| Parents - what's your part in keeping your child safe? The hardest part — don’t go to the schools. Your kids will be safe. If parents try to enter the school while it is pressurized, they would break the “seal,” possibly exposing their kids and others to chemical agents. Those parents are exposing themselves to potential danger. Schools are ready to do their part in protecting your kids. Be ready to do yours. Protect yourself as advised by local officials, and please stay away from the schools. Because your kids’ safety comes first. Either way your kids will be protected. |
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in over pressurized facilities |
Schools that Evacuate |
Evacuates to: |
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IRRIGON 1. A.C. Houghton Elementary 2. Irrigon Junior-Senior High School 3. Alternative School 4. Irrigon Elementary UMATILLA 5. Umatilla High School 6. Clara Brownell Middle School 7. McNary Heights Elementary 8. Pine Tree Center Head Start 9. Umatilla Center/WIC Head Start HERMISTON 10. West Park Elementary 11. Highland Hills Elementary 12. Sunset Elementary 13. Armand Larive Middle School 14. Sandstone Middle School 15. Hermiston High School 16. Desert View Elementary 17. Hermiston Center Head Start 18. OR Child Development Center Head Start 19. Highland Head Start 20. Rocky Heights Elementary 21. Hermiston Junior Academy |
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| HERMISTON 22. Hermiston Christian School |
First Assembly of God Church 1911 SE Court, Pendleton |
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| BOARDMAN 23. Sam Boardman Elementary 24. Riverside Junior-Senior High School 25. Windy River Elementary |
Wahtonka High School 3601 W 10th Street, The Dalles |
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| STANFIELD 26. Stanfield Elementary 27. Stanfield Secondary School |
Pilot Rock High School, 101 NE Cherry, Pilot Rock |
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| ECHO 29. Echo Elementary 30. Echo High School |
Pilot Rock Elementary, Vern McGowan Drive, Pilot Rock |
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| PATERSON 31. Paterson Elementary |
Housel Middle School, 2001 Highland Drive, Prosser |
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Some schools have over pressurization systems. There are 21 schools located in the prevailing wind patterns. Each of these schools has a large number of kids who attend. Buses are not kept on school grounds. Trying to evacuate these schools would require more time than may be available. Each of these schools has been equipped with a “positive pressurization” area (also called over pressurization.) Simply put, this is a special filter system that would keep contaminated air outside while kids are safe inside. |
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