Firefighters in Butler County receive training on how to respond to natural gas pipeline explosions like the one that occurred Thursday in Kentucky, but they haven't had to put that training to use.

A regional pipeline ruptured Aug. 1 in Lincoln County, Ky., causing a massive explosion that killed one person, hospitalized five others, destroyed railroad tracks and forced the evacuation of a nearby mobile home park. The explosion also set a number of homes on fire.

State and federally funded programs, Butler County Community College and gas companies provide firefighter training, said Steve Bicehouse, Butler County emergency services director.

There hasn't been a gas line explosion in the seven years he has worked for the county, but local fire departments would respond if one were to occur.

“When these events occur, the local emergency responders are the ones in charge. The county acts as a resource for them. They tell us what they need and what they want. If we don't have the resources, we'd reach out in the region and we'd also reach out to the state,” Bicehouse said.

Some gas companies provide training to fire departments in municipalities where gas lines are located, and training is also available through the state and federally funded Southwestern Pennsylvania All Hazards and Counter Terrorism Task Force — Region 13, he said.

Several pipelines that transport gas from wells to processing plants run through the county and some companies that operate the lines and the plants train firefighters, said Scott Hoffman, hazardous materials specialist for the county emergency services department.

Energy Transfer, which owns a pipeline running from northern Butler County into Beaver County, and MarkWest, which owns a processing plant near Evans City, both provide training, Hoffman said.

Kevin Smith, interim coordinator of BC3's fire and hazmat training programs, said local firefighters would put out fires caused by an explosion at a pipeline or gas well after personnel from the gas company shuts off the gas.

“The local responders, we hold back and wait on the industry. They wait for the gas company to shut off the gas. There's nothing we can do with a fire that's pressurized like that until the fuel goes away,” Smith said.

BC3's public safety training program provides free training off site and at the on-campus public safety training facility, which has two simulators.

The college purchased one simulator and the T.W. Phillips Gas and Oil Co. installed one years ago, Smith said.

“We simulate fire with the well head (simulator) using propane and natural gas,” he said.

The Pennsylvania State Fire Academy also provides local firefighter training, Smith said.