The exercise brought together more than 100 participants, including CITGO employees and representatives from federal, state and local agencies to test readiness and coordination in response to a simulated emergency situation. Participants included the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), Illinois State Police, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), Will County Emergency Management Agency, Lemont Police Department, Romeoville Fire Department, Lockport Fire Protection District, ExxonMobil, Forefront Emergency Management, SET Rescue & Safety, Arcwood Environmental and CITGO corporate partners.
“Emergency preparedness is built through strong partnerships, clear communication and practice,” said Jim Cristman, Vice President and General Manager of the CITGO Lemont Refinery. “This drill gave us the opportunity to work side by side with our federal, state, local and industry partners, identify areas for improvement and further strengthen our collective ability to respond safely and effectively.”
Emergency response exercises are a key part of CITGO’s multi-year commitment to health, safety and environmental stewardship. Conducted regularly across the company’s three major refineries, these drills help test response procedures, reinforce partnerships with community and agency partners and support continuous improvement.
CITGO Lemont Refinery will review observations and participant feedback with the organizations involved and apply identified opportunities to future planning, training and response readiness.
About CITGO
CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry and operates under the well-known CITGO brand. CITGO owns and operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 43 active terminals, eight pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,300 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 829,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO ranks as the fifth largest and is one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products, and supplies a network of approximately 4,000 locally owned and independently operated branded retail outlets. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc.
