HERMISTON – Those deadly chemical weapons stored at the Umatilla Chemical Depot may not pose a deadly danger to area residents.

Emergency managers on Tuesday said that the most notable effects for the public from a chemical weapons accident at the depot would be runny noses and blurry vision to a maximum of a couple hundred people.

While that may sound like spin from the U.S. Army, the claims were firmly backed up by Steve Myren of the Oregon Health Division. He said studies show that no more than 224 people would have even mild effects from exposure to a chemical weapons plume.

Myren disputed the popular notion of a “cloud of death” floating from the depot to nearby towns. He had no guess as to how much of the depot’s 3,717 tons of chemical weapons would have to be breached to have the catastrophic effects noted by state media.

“I can’t even contemplate how much (chemical agent) would have to be put in the air,” he said, shaking his head. Myren added that the runny noses and blurred vision should go away once the plume dispersed.

What this means is that most people won’t need immediate medical attention, he said. Myren said medical staff dealing with people who were exposed to a chemical plume may simply need to offer moral support.

“Most of those patients, unless they manifest symptoms worse than myopia and a runny nose, we’re going to say, ‘Sit down, it’s going to be OK,’ ” Myren said.

However, those present at the meeting also noted items less reassuring then Myren’s statements. A slow-moving plume could create problems for people sheltered in their homes or businesses. No building, with the exception of schools with over-pressurization units, will be entirely airtight.

So even with the air conditioner turned off and windows sealed, trace amounts of chemical agents would likely seep into a room, said meeting facilitator Madhu Beriwal. Though these trace amounts shouldn’t have any effect on people, the longer the people are in there the more the agent can accumulate.

Emergency managers stressed that this doesn’t negate the purpose of sealing a room. Every step taken will help, they said, urging families to create plans to prepare for a chemical accident.

“What they should know is that it’s probably not ever going to happen, but if it does, you need to be ready,” said Lenore Pointer of Morrow County Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.

What the public should pray for, Myren said, is a windy day if the unlikely event occurs. Winds of 15-20 mph, which are common in Eastern Oregon, would quickly disperse the chemical agents in the air. A very slow breeze would be the most hazardous, he added, because people would be exposed for the longest amount of time and the chemical agents would still be in strong concentrations.

Tuesday’s discussions centered on making emergency agencies better able to respond to any of several accidents at the Umatilla Chemical Depot, even though most have a 1-in-1 million chance of happening.

Talks Tuesday encompassed many topics, from how to evacuate towns during an emergency to protecting first responders from contaminated air. The two-day conference stemmed from a December study that showed area agencies failing in many aspects of preparing for an emergency.

A member of the state Department of Environmental Quality urged emergency officials to make preparations before the depot’s incinerator complex begins test burns next year.

“When this facility is built and ready to operate … we do not want to be in a position that that plant cannot operate because of a CSEPP problem,” said Program Administrator Wayne Thomas. “The depot is in good shape, but as an off-post community, we have a lot of work to do.”