The explosion of a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, Wednesday is a tragedy that could easily be repeated anywhere in the country, and even right here in Kosciusko County.

What happened in the small Texas community, however, is not an incident isolated to just the fertilizer industry. The devastating blast at the West Fertilizer Company has obviously raised some concerns locally where similarities in West, Texas, and Milford are obvious.

A farming community, West, Texas, is home to less than 3,000 residents. Major industries include livestock, petroleum and natural gas production.

Similarly, Milford, with a smaller population of less than 2,000 residents, is also a farming community where the industry is based primarily on manufacturing and agriculture.

“It probably is very similar to what we have here,” said Ed Rock, director of Kosciusko County Emergency Management.

Currently home to Certified Fertilizer Specialists, Milford will be home to a second, state-of-the-art fertilizer facility expected to be completed in 2014. However, Rock is quick to add that residents near the fertilizer companies should not panic, saying, “Once we know what caused it (the explosion in West, Texas), then we address it. Some co-ops sell other fuel, like LP. We don’t know what exploded yet.”

Rock spoke of last Wednesday’s tragedy in Texas and said, “No one is ever prepared for something like that. If something like that happened here, the response that is made (by emergency personnel) is basically the same as it would be for anything else, we would just look for more resources. As for our own capabilities (in handling a similar tragedy), we are about as prepared as we can be.”

As the county’s Emergency Management director, it is Rock’s job to gather information about every industry, every company, every business in the county. Annually, companies that use any kind of chemical must submit reports to the local and state level authorities so that, in the event of an emergency, emergency personnel know what they are dealing with. Rock noted chemicals are kept on site at many industries throughout the county.

In preparing for all kinds of man-made and natural disasters, all county emergency departments take part in large-scale disaster exercises each year. “Exercises by design are meant to push us beyond the normal capabilities. By constantly running through scenarios we can see where we may need to improve,” Rock explained, noting most of the drills they hold include hazardous materials training.

But to narrow down a disaster like the one that occurred in West, Texas, to the fertilizer industry would be a mistake, said Rock. “All we know for sure is that it was a fertilizer plant,” he explained. “But was it dry fertilizer? Liquid? Was there gas on site? There are just too many uncertainties for us to jump to any conclusions.”

Unfortunately, until the findings of what caused the devastating West, Texas, blast is known, local officials can only stay tuned to determine their next step. “I assure it is something we are all very concerned with and interested in,” Rock explained. “The county fire chiefs are also interested and, when we know all of the particulars, we’ll be seeing what it means for us locally.”

In the meantime, Trupointe responded to settle residents nerves issuing the following statement: “We want to assure you that Trupointe takes utmost precautions to prevent incidents like these, as our locations are permitted and regularly inspected, being compliant with OSHA and EPA requirements. With a team of four employees who focus daily on the safety of the company, facilities, employees and the communities we are a part of, it is easily stated that safety comes first. Safety is part of the culture at Trupointe, being one of the seven values the company stands upon.”