Questions Raised About Emergency Planning in the TRIC

There are questions about whether a coordinated emergency evacuation plan exists for the rapidly expanding Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC), one of Northern Nevada’s largest employment centers.

Over the past several months, inquiries have been submitted to Storey County agencies, including Storey County Emergency Management and the county’s public records office, seeking confirmation of whether a formal evacuation plan for the corridor is in place. The requests have also asked how such a plan would function during a large-scale emergency.

According to correspondence reviewed by the Nevada Territorial News, county officials have responded multiple times that the request “continues to be worked on.” However, no confirmation is available regarding the existence of a corridor-wide evacuation plan or details outlining emergency traffic control measures, emergency vehicle access routes, or evacuation procedures for workers in the area.

Over the past decade, the TRIC has developed into a major industrial hub, housing large-scale manufacturing, battery storage, and logistics facilities. Thousands of employees commute daily to the area, primarily using Interstate 80 and USA Parkway, routes that frequently experience heavy congestion during peak travel times.

The number of industrial facilities, particularly those storing lithium batteries and other potentially hazardous materials, has raised concerns regarding the management of major fires, hazardous materials incidents, or other large-scale emergencies. Lithium battery fires, while uncommon, can be complex to extinguish and often require specialized response strategies.

It remains unclear whether emergency evacuation procedures are coordinated at the county level for the entire corridor or handled individually by each facility in coordination with local authorities.