Severe storms with rain, hail, high winds and tornadoes moved through eight counties in southeastern Kansas during the evening of May 4, 2007. Greensburg in Kiowa County, Kan., with approximately 1,500 residents, was directly hit by an F5 tornado, on a scale of damage from zero to 5. EPA dispatched several on-scene coordinators (OSCs) to the scene with the response truck and mobile command post Saturday, May 5. Initial EPA activities included addressing fuel releases, chlorine cylinders, anhydrous ammonia tanks, propane tanks, and other hazardous materials. OSCs also began meeting with state and local officials, and began initial reconnaissance of the city and surrounding area.
On May 9, EPA Region 7 was tasked by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to remove oil, hazardous materials, household hazardous waste and white goods. EPA initiated curbside pickup of household hazardous waste items and white goods May 11. OSCs and EPA contractors are assisting Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials with identification and segregation of hazardous substances brought to the north landfill. EPA contractors have also assessed damaged transformer recovery locations and sampled sites for potential PCB contamination. EPA is collecting and reviewing aerial photos of areas outside the city to locate and respond to orphaned containers displaced by the tornado.
