Rouen: FR-Alert activated during civil security exercise – News

An exercise at LAT Nitrogen

During this exercise, which is being implemented in accordance with the internal security code, the LAT Nitrogen industrial site in the commune of Grand-Quevillyse will be mobilized.

The LAT Nitrogen site specializes in the manufacture of nitrogen products used in agriculture (fertilizers, animal feed).

As part of an exercise convention, prepared by the Seine-Maritime prefecture, the organization of emergency services and the alerting of populations will be tested by simulating an incident leading to a toxic release of ammonia.

What are we testing during such an exercise?

The toxic cloud phenomenon, which will be at the heart of the exercise, is particularly sensitive to weather conditions.

For this exercise, services specializing in chemical risk and partner experts will take real-time measurements in order to map the dispersion and progression of the cloud. This statement of measures will determine the actions to be taken for the protection of the population, property and the environment.

The exercise will also test the articulation with the various emergency plans: Business Internal Operations Plan (POI), Special Security Plan (PPMS) in the two educational establishments concerned and Municipal Safeguard Plan (PCS) in communities.

Le looping securing the cloud broadcast area, simulated for exercise,to bedefined since thecbetween ooperational ddepartmental (COD) of the prefecture of Seine-Maritime,but will not be implemented on the ground.

Who are the actors involved?

The prefecture of Seine-Maritime, the Rouen Normandy Metropolis, the 31 municipalities concerned by the Special Intervention Plan (PPI) for the industrial-port zone of Rouen, the Regional Directorate of the Environment, Planning and housing (Dreal), the Department of Seine-Maritime, the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS76), the Departmental Directorate of Territories and the Sea (DDTM), the company LAT Nitrogen, the Samu 76A Rouen, the Regional Health Agency (ARS), the Interdepartmental Directorate of the National Police (DIPN), the Departmental Directorate of National Education Services (DSDEN), the departmental grouping of the national gendarmerie, Haropa Port – Territorial unit of Rouen, Upside (association of industrialists from the Rouen metropolitan area) and Atmo Normandie will participate in this exercise.

The specific intervention plan (PPI) for the industrial-port zone of Rouen

The Special Intervention Plan (PPI) meets a regulatory obligation for Facilities classified for environmental protection (ICPE) classified Seveso high threshold.

The PPI is a provision of the Orsec system (Civil Security Response Organization) which is linked to the various emergency plans (POI – PPMS – PCS and PICS).

Under what conditions can it be triggered?

The PPI can be triggered by the prefect in the event of an incident or accident whose effects go beyond the limits of the company. It is based on potential accident situations, determined by danger studies which model danger distances, in order to define the operational measures of the PPI and its scope of application.

The PPI meets a main objective: to protect populations, property and the environment. To do this, the document plans predictable measures aimed at alerting the population and isolating the potential danger zone.

It also involves coordinating relief efforts by ensuring perfect transmission of operational alerts to all crisis management stakeholders, taking into account the particularities of each company and its environment.

The PPI for the Rouen area is currently being revised and will be made available for consultation in the coming months. It will integrate the observations collected during this consultation and the conclusions of this exercise.

Activation of means of alerting the population

Among the means of alerting the population, the FR-Alert tool will be tested in practice, in the Seine-Maritime department.

In what situations is FR-Alert triggered?

FR-Alert is intended to broadcast imperative instructions for the protection of the population (containment, sheltering, evacuation, etc.) in the event of imminent danger.

How does this tool work?

FR-Alert is a particularly effective alert tool because it is intrusive, combining specific audio, visual and message alerts. It allows you to issue instructions on what to do in the event of imminent danger, day or night.

It informs in real time anyone with a 4G or 5G mobile phone of their presence in a danger zone, the precise behaviors to adopt and the safety instructions to follow to protect themselves. The alert is activated on the phone even when the device is in sleep or silent mode.

Receiving this notification does not require any prior installation on the phone.

What about other warning systems?

This tool is complementary to existing alert systems (sirens, community information systems or EPCI, media relays, information on official social network accounts, etc.) and can be triggered, in accordance with the conditions set by national instructions. , when the authority decides to issue instructions to protect the population in the face of imminent danger that could threaten their integrity.

LFR-Alert tests on 15 october

On the occasion of the PPI exercise of the industrial-port zone of Rouen on Tuesday October 15, 2024, the FR-Alert system will be implemented on several occasions:

• a first alert message will be sent to people located in the danger zone of the LAT Nitrogen company, according to the scenario tested as part of the exercise (around 1500 meters), indicating the instructions which would have been broadcast to the population in case of real event;
• a second message on the operation of the FR-Alert tool will be sent to people within the scope of application of the PPI, i.e. the 31 municipalities, at the time the message is sent;
• a third end-of-alert message will be sent in the same geographic area as the first alert message.

Other alert means could also be activated:

• the warning sirens of the industrialist;
• the sirens of the SAIP network (Signal of Alert and Information to the Population);
• Allo Industries ;
• the SMS alert tool of the Rouen Normandy Metropolis, which broadcasts an alert to people who have previously registered;
• the communication tools of the prefecture and communities.

Risk supplement published by the Rouen Normandy Metropolis:
https://www.metropole-rouen-normandie.fr/sites/default/files/2024-09/Supplement-risques-2024-WEB.pdf