After processing some $8.7 million in claims from the public, the Mississauga Emergency Claims Centre has closed.

Opened in November to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses resulting from the evacuation of about 250,000 local residents following the Mississauga derailment, the centre processed 47,000 claims covering 138,000 people.

"This was the first time we or anyone else ever attempted anything of this nature," said D.C. Lord, general claims agent. "It was a new experience for our claims people and has become a guideline for ourselves and other companies, should anything like it ever happen again."

"I think the operation was a great success," Mr. Lord said, "because of the efforts of our employees.

"The setting up and operation of the claims centre could only be accomplished through teamwork," said Mr. Lord.

They had less than a week to spirit in claims officials from across Canada, find a location, establish a claims procedure, install equipment, and open the doors to the public.

"For two days before the centre opened, we reviewed how we were going to handle these claims," Mr. Lord said. "The agents were unfamiliar with the system because within five days we not only had to create the centre but design a system which would allow us to handle a maximum number of claimants and provide the company with protection in the event of fraudulent claims.

"We realized that in dealing with upwards of a quarter of a million people, the task was not going to be easy."

Claims agents were expected to be friendly and courteous under all conditions, and they had to analyze claims for everything from tropical fish to hotel accommodations, in dollar values which sometimes were in excess of $50,000.

When the doors opened 19 Nov 1979, the crowd was larger than expected. "The fact that Christmas was approaching and people needed to recover their money was the main reason for such heavy crowds," Mr. Lord said.

In two weeks, the centre processed some 6,500 claims covering more than 20,000 people. Meals were brought in twice a day so that no time was lost by staff leaving the centre to eat.

But after two weeks, it was found that the number of claims per day was too large for the agents to process, so new hours and a reservation system were established.

After this was done, average claimants could arrive at the centre, be processed and walk out with a cheque within a half-hour.

"We were part of something very important to the community," Mr. Lord said. "We did the job and did it well. All our people should be proud."

Because of the demand, CP Rail extended the date for mail-in claims to 16 May 1980.