Where's the Evacuation Plan for the USA Parkway Area?

An employee who works in the USA Parkway industrial corridor in Storey County, Nevada, says they recently submitted multiple public information requests with multiple Storey County agencies, including Storey County Emergency Management and Storey County Public Records seeking information about whether a coordinated emergency evacuation plan exists for the USA Parkway area.

"This request was prompted by the rapid expansion of industrial facilities in the corridor, chronic traffic congestion on USA Parkway and I-80, and the presence of facilities that store or handle lithium batteries and other hazardous materials," they wrote to Our Town Reno today sharing one of the documents they submitted, while still waiting for an answer.

"Since submitting my request, I have received the same response four separate times: that my inquiry “continues to be worked on.” It has now been almost three months, and I have not been provided with confirmation that a formal evacuation plan exists, nor any substantive details regarding emergency traffic control, emergency vehicle access, or how thousands of employees would be safely evacuated during a large-scale incident.

Given the number of workers who commute daily into this area, the limited exit routes, and the history of traffic bottlenecks even during routine peak hours, I am deeply concerned about the lack of transparency and the potential absence of a clearly defined evacuation strategy.

I am reaching out to local media because I believe this is a matter of public safety. Employees and employers deserve to know whether adequate emergency planning is in place—and if not, what steps are being taken to address it. The continued delay in providing answers raises serious questions about preparedness in the event of a fire, hazardous materials incident, or other emergency.

Attached is the original letter sent to Storey County Public Records as well as multiple other Storey County agencies. I have also attached the email correspondence I have received from Storey County Public Records. I have cropped them to remove the information of the individual I have spoken with so that they do not receive personal backlash.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Concerned Employee in the USA Parkway Area"

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