Taft chemical spill prompts evacuation recommendation

A chemical release at Taft Manufacturing has prompted Kern County officials to recommend an evacuation Taft in Kern County. 

The Kern County Posted On Their Facebook Account:

Taft Manufacturing at 19705 South Lake Road in Taft, CA has experienced a chemical release. If you live or work beyond 6 and up to 9 miles of this location it is recommend that you shelter in place. Shelter in place means going inside, closing all doors and windows, shutting off your central air systems and closing your fireplace vents. An evacuation center has been set up at the First Baptist Church at 220 North Street in Taft. Animal Services will assist with sheltering companion animals at the center.

If you have physical limitations and require evacuation assistance, please call the Aging & Adult Services hotline at 1-855-264-6565. Again, please note: Only those within a 6-mile radius of Taft Manufacturing are recommended to evacuate.

Taft incident- Recommended “Shelter in Place.” What is a “Shelter in Place?” This process is used to seal the room and is considered a temporary protective measure to create a barrier between you and potentially contaminated air outside. Here’s a couple things we highly recommend you do: Please bring your family and pets inside, close windows, air vents, and fireplace vents. 

Turn off fans, air conditioning, and forced air heating systems. Go in to the interior room of your location, that has the fewest windows. Your Kern County emergency authorities will update this notification if and as the situation changes.Please stay tuned to official County and Emergency social outlets, or your local television and radio stations for more information as it becomes available. If you have an emergency, call 911. If you have any questions about the content of this message, please contact Kern County Information and Referral Services at 2-1-1. Thank you.