OTTAWA — Franklin County will join a group of northeastern Kansas counties that will do a study that tracks how hazardous materials move through the counties. Emergency management director Alan Radcliffe said the county is at the crossroads of major highways, major national railroad mainline and cross-country pipelines and it’s essential to know what’s moving through the county. Although there area a wide variety of farm-related chemicals that can pose a hazard, Radcliffe said he’s often surprised by the amount and types of chemicals stored in the county or moving through the county. Although businesses are required to report the types of hazard materials stored in the county, Radcliffe said officials aren’t completely sure what ends up or moves through the county. The study will give the counties a good baseline to prepare for hazardous material spills. The county’s firefighters have formed a hazardous materials handling team and have received equipment and suits for the team, he said. The study will be mostly paid by a state grant, he said.
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 8 a.m.
