• COVID-19
  • Progress
  • eNewsletter Sign-Up
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Give Feedback
Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)
  • HOME
  • PEO ACWA
    • ACWA logo

      Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)


      Mission: The safe elimination of chemical weapons at Pueblo and Blue Grass by Sept. 30, 2023

    • About PEO ACWA
      • Destruction Progress
      • Chain of Command
      • Team Biographies
      • Program Timeline
      • Program Legislation
      • Public Involvement
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • PEO ACWA Media Library
      • PEO ACWA News
      • PEO ACWA Videos
      • PEO ACWA Facts
      • PEO ACWA Press Releases
      • PEO ACWA Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • BLUE GRASS
    • pcapp_logo
      Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP)

      BGCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky.

    • BGCAPP Homepage
      • Project Stages
      • Destruction Technologies
      • Team Biographies
      • Environmental Activities
      • Public Involvement
      • Hydrolysate Shipments
    • BGCAPP Media Library
      • News
      • Videos
      • Facts
      • Press Releases
      • Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • PUEBLO
    • pcapp_logo
      Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

      PCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.

    • PCAPP Homepage
      • Project Stages
      • Destruction Technologies
      • Team Biographies
      • Environmental Activities
      • Public Involvement
    • PCAPP Media Library
      • News
      • Videos
      • Facts
      • Press Releases
      • Briefings, Reports & Downloads
  • CONTACT US

Kentucky Emergency Preparedness Exercise Set for Sept. 21

Published: September 19, 2016 | Category: BGCAPP News, Safety
Michael Bryant, director, Madison County Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP), handles emergency response communications during the 2015 CSEPP annual exercise. Photo courtesy Madison County Emergency Management Agency.

Michael Bryant, director, Madison County Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP), handles emergency response communications during the 2015 CSEPP annual exercise. Photo courtesy Madison County Emergency Management Agency.

Several hundred people across ten Kentucky counties will take part in an emergency preparedness exercise related to chemical weapons storage and destruction Sept. 21.

This annual training activity is designed to prepare emergency-response and related personnel in the unlikely event of an accident or incident with the chemical munitions stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot, said Michael Bryant, administrative director, Madison County Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). The program’s exercises and continuous planning will also support the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant when it starts operations.

“We do this to make sure we are as prepared as possible,” Bryant said. “I compare it to playing sports. The more you practice, the better you will be.”

Planners put together a scenario to stretch participants’ capabilities and help them learn everything they can from the event, so a real-life response will be second-nature to them, he said. The community, including first responders, emergency care providers, the state health department, local schools and many other area organizations, works together so a response will be seamless. More than 100 evaluators from across the country will grade the community’s response and provide constructive feedback for future planning.

“We use the experience of people who have been in the chemical demilitarization program for years, people who do emergency planning and people who are skilled in all different aspects of emergency preparedness and response to evaluate our participants,” said Bryant. “This wealth of expertise helps our people learn and grow much faster.”

These exercises are conducted to ensure maximum protection to the community, said Angie Hurst, public affairs officer, Blue Grass Chemical Activity. Local residents can anticipate hearing the CSEPP sirens during this exercise. The sirens will sound Westminster Chimes, the sound normally played during siren tests and quarterly exercises.

More BGCAPP Safety Articles

  • Workers lower a 30,000-pound buffer tank into the Blue Grass Static Detonation Chamber 1200 building through an opening in the roof. This tank will buffer exhaust gases from the destruction process of the drained nerve-agent rocket warheads before the gases are processed in the off-gas treatment system.

    New Tank Safely Lowered Through Roof

    Published: March 30, 2022
  • Workers remove the first crate of non-contaminated rocket motors from a storage igloo on the Blue Grass Army Depot in preparation for transport to the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama. The first load was shipped out Nov. 1 and received Nov. 2. The motors will be destroyed in the Anniston Static Detonation Chamber when environmental permitting is completed. A portion of this photo has been blurred in accordance with Department of Defense guidelines.

    First Non-Contaminated Rocket Motor Shipment Completed

    Published: December 2, 2021
  • A worker unstraps two pallets of VX M55 rockets in the Munitions Demilitarization Building at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in this file photograph from July. As of Nov. 14, 50% of the VX agent stored on the Blue Grass Army Depot has been destroyed.

    Fifty Percent of VX Nerve Agent Destroyed in Kentucky

    Published: November 16, 2021
  • An operator checks to make sure a valve is open for loading hydrolysate into a tank trailer at the Tanker Loading Station at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The first two tankers of hydrolysate were safely shipped Oct. 7 for destruction at Veolia Environmental Services near Port Arthur, Texas.

    First Blue Grass Hydrolysate Shipment Safely Completed

    Published: October 25, 2021
  • Medical personnel perform a drill of stabilizing a patient (a medical dummy) and preparing him for transport to a local hospital at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The plant relies upon 12 area hospitals to receive decontaminated and stabilized personnel in the unlikely event of a chemical-agent or industrial accident.

    Coordination with Hospitals Essential for Plant Operations

    Published: September 30, 2021
  • Drill Enhances Emergency Response

    Drill Enhances Emergency Response

    Published: February 9, 2021
  • Program Partner Plays Key Role in Destruction Activities

    Program Partner Plays Key Role in Destruction Activities

    Published: January 28, 2021
  • Plants Operate with Pandemic Precautions in Place

    Plants Operate with Pandemic Precautions in Place

    Published: December 17, 2020
  • Decision Made Regarding Use of Secondary System

    Decision Made Regarding Use of Secondary System

    Published: September 10, 2020
  • Public Meeting Changes to Virtual Platform

    Public Meeting Changes to Virtual Platform

    Published: September 3, 2020
No tags.

Recent News

  • Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Monthly Recap – April 2022

    Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Monthly Recap – April 2022

    May 2, 2022
  • Entire U.S. Stockpile of VX Nerve Agent Eliminated

    Entire U.S. Stockpile of VX Nerve Agent Eliminated

    April 20, 2022
  • Teamwork Key to Removing Used Carbon Filters

    Teamwork Key to Removing Used Carbon Filters

    April 19, 2022
  • U.S. Chemical Demilitarization Transparency Event Held for International Organization

    U.S. Chemical Demilitarization Transparency Event Held for International Organization

    March 31, 2022
  • BGCAPP Monthly Recap – March 2022

    BGCAPP Monthly Recap – March 2022

    March 31, 2022

Safety Videos

  • Blue Grass Plant Medical Staff Stays Prepared

    Blue Grass Plant Medical Staff Stays Prepared

    June 5, 2017
  • Testing Rolls On Inside Kentucky’s Chemical Weapons Destruction

    Testing Rolls On Inside Kentucky’s Chemical Weapons Destruction

    September 23, 2016
  • On-site Medical Facility Prepares to Support Blue Grass Plant

    On-site Medical Facility Prepares to Support Blue Grass Plant

    June 27, 2016
  • Emergency Operations Center Supports Kentucky Chemical Weapons Destruction Project

    Emergency Operations Center Supports Kentucky Chemical Weapons Destruction Project

    April 19, 2016
  • High Angle Training to the Rescue at the Blue Grass Plant

    High Angle Training to the Rescue at the Blue Grass Plant

    January 8, 2016

Connect with PEO ACWA

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Sign up for the Connect with ACWA e-newsletters to have information sent directly to your inbox. It’s a great way to stay connected with chemical weapons destruction plant activities.

Sign Up

Recent Tweets
  • Terms of Use
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • Privacy and Security Policy
  • iSALUTE
  • Archive
  • Welcome to ACWA
  • Home
  • PEO ACWA Pages
    • About PEO ACWA
    • Destruction Progress
    • Team Biographies
    • Chain of Command
    • Program Timeline
    • Public Involvement
  • PEO ACWA Media Library
    • PEO ACWA Media Library (Main)
    • PEO ACWA News
    • PEO ACWA Videos
    • PEO ACWA Facts
    • PEO ACWA Press Releases
    • PEO ACWA Briefings and Reports
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Blue Grass Pages
    • BGCAPP Homepage
    • BGCAPP Project Stages
    • BGCAPP Destruction Technologies
    • BGCAPP Team Biographies
    • Environmental Activities at BGCAPP
    • Public Involvement at BGCAPP
    • Hydrolysate Shipments
  • BGCAPP Media Library
    • BGCAPP Media Library (Main)
    • BGCAPP News
    • BGCAPP Videos
    • BGCAPP Facts
    • BGCAPP Press Releases
    • BGCAPP Briefings, Reports and Downloads
  • Pueblo Pages
    • PCAPP Homepage
    • PCAPP Project Stages
    • PCAPP Destruction Technologies
    • PCAPP Team Biographies
    • Environmental Activities at PCAPP
    • Public Involvement at PCAPP
  • PCAPP Media Library
    • PCAPP Media Library (Main)
    • PCAPP News
    • PCAPP Videos
    • PCAPP Facts
    • PCAPP Press Releases
    • PCAPP Briefings, Reports, and Downloads
  • Archive
  • Job and Business Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • Privacy and Security Policy
Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)