PIKEVILLE – The Pike County Office of Emergency Management was recently awarded permanent use of a Weapons of Mass Destruction/Hazardous Materials Response Unit.

The truck and trailer — valued at $250,000 — has been in Johnson County for a few years and was given to Pike County after Pike County Emergency Management Director Doug Tackett requested its use during the most recent meeting of the Area 9 WMD/Hazardous Materials Response Team Board of Directors meeting.

“This trailer just adds to Pike County’s arsenal of things we can do to help the people of this county in the event of a disaster,” Pike Count y Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford said. “We are prone to dangerous chemical spills because of our coal and natural gas and we have had chemical spills in the past. This is just another way of helping the people of Pike County and I’m glad Doug Tackett was able to obtain such a wonderful tool to combat hazardous materials.”

The trailer contains equipment and tools that can be used in several types of spills.

“If a truck were to wreck and spill hazardous chemicals, as one did not too long ago, we can contain and clean it up,” Tackett said. “If there were to be white powder threat or a problem with radiation, we can handle it now. This truck and trailer just gives us more ammunition for when and if we need it.”

The truck and trailer will be stationed at the Belfry Volunteer Fire Department and can be dispatched to not only Pike but Floyd, Johnson, Martin and Magoffin counties.