SAFETY
Always go first.
At the Chemical Park Knapsack, we have implemented an effective emergency response plan in case an incident should occur despite all precautionary measures. This ensures that experienced contacts are available at all times for neighbors, businesses, media representatives, and government agencies.
Bürgertelefon
If you have any questions or concerns regarding safety or the environment at the Knapsack Chemical Park, the public hotline is available 24/7.
Behavior
What to do if an emergency occurs.
Action
- Go into a building
- Warn others and take them with you
- Close windows and doors
- Turn off ventilation systems and air conditioners
- Go to rooms on upper floors
- Do not touch any objects that may be contaminated by spilled chemicals
- Do not bring dirt into the apartment on your clothes or shoes
- Wash contaminated skin with soap and water
- If you experience any health problems, contact emergency medical services immediately
- Listen for radio and public adress announcements.
Radio Erft (Antenne: UKW 91,4 MHz und 105,8 MHz, Kabel: 87,8 MHz) - Public Information Hotline by Chemiepark Knapsack: 02233 48-6001
- BKK's warninng app “NINA”
- Follow instructions from emergency and rescue services
Siren alarm
Sine wave (a wailing sound that rises and falls, 1 minute)
Continuous tone (1 minute)
Information
How to stay informed if an emergency occurs.
Public Hotline
You can call the Chemiepark Knapsack's public hotline for information on the current situation on site and advice on what to do next. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, every day. By the way, the hotline is there to help you not only in the event of an incident, but also if you notice anything unusual in the vicinity of the chemical park.
Social Media
We will keep you updated on the latest developments in the event of an incident via our social media channels.
Nina App
In the event of an emergency, only the authorities—in particular the local public fire departments—are authorized to alert the public, for example via the NINA app or cell broadcast. NINA stands for Emergency Information and News App. Through this official federal app, you will receive important alerts in the event of a danger.
In the event of an emergency at the Chemiepark Knapsack or in your neighborhood, as well as in the case of weather warnings or flood alerts, you will be automatically notified.
Cell Broadcast
In addition, the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) uses “cell broadcast” to alert you in the event of serious incidents. This mobile service sends warning messages directly to your cell phone or smartphone.
Process
What we do if an emergency occurs.
An emergency manager is on standby around the clock at the chemical park. Their responsibilities include assessing potential incidents and, in the event of major incidents, activating the plant crisis management team at the Chemiepark Knapsack as necessary.
Until the plant crisis management team arrives, the emergency manager works alongside the plant fire department at the scene of the incident and provides initial information about the incident to the control center of the Rhein-Erft district and the Cologne district government. He is authorized to activate the chemical park sirens to warn the neighborhood and everyone in the chemical park.
The site fire department is on standby at all times at the Chemiepark Knapsack. Within five minutes of the alarm being triggered, it begins rescue operations and damage control measures under the direction of its incident commander. If necessary, the plant fire department is supported by the fire departments of the Rhein-Erft district.
In the event of an emergency, the site security provides vital support and handles coordination and reporting tasks. It monitors access points and the area surrounding the incident site, cordons off the scene, and directs public emergency responders.
Each company has on-call facility response teams. Their skilled staff are familiar with the specific operational requirements and regularly conduct emergency response drills. These efforts are supplemented by YNCORIS’s on-call services.
If substances have been released, the environmental emergency response team can take measurements in the vicinity of the chemical park. This allows them to gather data early on so they can properly assess the impact of an emergency.
The emergency manager can activate the chemical park sirens within minutes of an incident occurring. A piercing, rising and falling wailing sound alerts people to a special incident. Once the danger has passed, a continuous tone lasting one minute is heard through the siren system.