Investing in training that keeps responders and communities safe 

Phillips 66 and TEEX deliver hands-on industrial fire and emergency response training to first responders, because real skills are built before an alarm ever sounds

Volunteer and municipal firefighters from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Colorado recently participated in hands-on industrial emergency response training delivered by Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and Phillips 66 Crisis Management and Emergency Response, Midstream and Refining. 

Why it matters 

The biannual course is designed to prepare responders for complex industrial incidents that, although uncommon, require specialized skills and a well-coordinated response to keep communities safe. 

Many Phillips 66 operations are located in smaller communities where local volunteer and municipal firefighters may be the first to respond during an emergency. Because specialized industrial firefighting training can be difficult to access, Phillips 66 provides the course at no cost to departments serving communities where the company operates.

Training for complex emergencies 

“This training provides significant value to municipal fire departments because industrial emergencies can differ considerably from the incidents they typically encounter,” noted Phillips 66 Emergency Response and Security Supervisor Danny Tarkington, who began his career as a volunteer firefighter and has served as a course instructor since its inception. 

“Firefighters are often taught to ‘put the wet stuff on the red stuff’ … In an industrial setting, however, applying water can sometimes make a difficult situation even more dangerous.”  

Danny Tarkington 

Tarkington attributed the course’s successfulness to the collective expertise of the instructors and subject-matter experts. “Many of our instructors started in volunteer fire departments themselves, which helps us connect with participants, share practical experience and provide guidance that’s relevant to the communities they serve,” he added. 

Phillips 66 instructors noted that lectures only go so far. This course provides first responders with the opportunity to work alongside experienced instructors in a controlled environment to refine their skills. 

Training scenarios focus on tactics like: 

• Responding to incidents involving pressurized and non-pressurized storage tanks. 
• Managing large-scale tank fires. 
• Protecting nearby equipment, facilities and infrastructure from fire damage. 
• Safely containing and controlling hazardous materials. 

These realistic emergency scenarios and hands-on exercises help ensure they are ready if faced with a similar situation in the field. 

Stronger together

Effective response to these rare industrial incidents relies on open communication, ongoing collaboration and maintaining strong relationships between industry and local emergency responders, developed long before an emergency occurs.  

Emergency responders are among the many stakeholders identified in API RP 1185, the American Petroleum Institute’s recommended practice for building stronger relationships, encouraging two-way communication and supporting safe, reliable operations. Creating opportunities to share information, build familiarity and strengthen the partnerships before they’re needed helps both organizations respond safely, communicate effectively and protect the communities we serve. 

“Many of these responders are volunteers and the first line of defense for the communities around our operations,” said Midstream Operations Advisor and Public Awareness Lead Melissa Clark. “When we equip them to safely manage a pipeline or industrial emergency, we strengthen safety for their neighbors, our employees and our assets alike.” 

Stakeholder relationships like these play an important role in allowing us to safely and reliably continue to provide energy and improve lives.  

Read the 2026 Sustainability and People Highlights Report to learn more about how Phillips 66 is advancing safety, strengthening our business performance and investing in our people and communities.  

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