Responding to Accidental Releases of Chlorine: A Discussion with Georgia and South Carolina Public Health Officials

Bruce (Jeff) Jeffries, MA, PA of the Georgia Division of Public Health and Mary Anne Wenck, DVM, MPH of the South Carolina Division of Health and Environmental Control present their experiences as public officials responding to possible accidental releases of chlorine. Jeffries' lecture stresses the importance of Incident Command Structure, discussing how an explosion in Conyers, Georgia could have potentially been worse had it been on the west side of Atlanta where there are chlorine plants. Dr. Wenck's talk recounts a train accident where significant amounts of chlorine were released in Graniteville, South Carolina. She provides data on the effects the chlorine had on the population and emphasizes that much can be learned from this incident. Both talks were followed by a panel discussion with additional public health officials from Georgia and South Carolina.
(Lecture given on May 18, 2005)