Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Chairpersons/Staff Contacts Meeting Synopsis
LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE (LEPC)
CHAIRPERSONS/STAFF CONTACTS SYNOPSIS
January 10, 2008
Courtyard by Marriott
3435 North Atlantic Avenue
Cocoa Beach , Florida 32931
Those members present were:
George Danz
Scott Ehlers
John Gallagher
Chuck Carter
Richard Delp
Mike Linkins
Manny Cela
April Raulerson
Chris Bushman
Jennifer Hobbs
John Gibbons
Michael Arnold
Bruce Porter
Milton Hill
Bill Lofgren
Heather Golightly
Dwayne Mundy
Edye Rowell
Chris Rietow
Richard Smith
Jonathan Lamm
Kathryn Boer
INTRODUCTIONS
Chairman Danz called the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Chairs/Staff contacts meeting to order followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and requested a moment of silence for all the people that have served our country.
Ms. Jennifer Hobbs thanked Mr. Andre Roy with the United States Air Force at the Kennedy Space Center for providing refreshments for the meetings.
Chairman Danz also thanked, Ms. April Raulerson and Ms. Jennifer Hobbs for a tremendous job in planning the January meetings in Cocoa Beach , Florida .
TRAINING TASK FORCE UPDATE - Mr. Doug Wolfe
Mr. Wolfe stated that all the model hazardous materials response procedures developed by the Training Task Force (TTF) will be posted into the Homeland Security Information Network. He then stated the TTF is still working on disseminating hazardous materials facility data through the State Emergency Operations Center Mapping application or the Computer Aided Manage-ment of Emergency Operations (CAMEO) mechanism.
Mr. Wolfe also stated the Training Task Force worked on a couple of open projects and discussed the impacts of changes to the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) 472 which was released in December, 2007. Mr. Wolfe indicated that because of changes to
NFPA 472, revisions will be necessary to the State Emergency Response Commission's Florida Guidelines for Hazardous Materials Training. He noted that most changes occurred in the Operations level training and the Awareness level and Technician level training competencies were minimally impacted.
The TTF discussed TTF membership policies and tabled any action until the April meeting pending legal guidance on Sunshine Law implications.
Mr. Wolfe reported that the TTF is seeking to contact Liquid Petroleum, and Natural Gas companies about developing standards for training and certification of facility response personnel. The goal of the Training Task Force is to get the industry to regulate itself by setting safety standards, providing training, and credentialing for contractors and company response personnel. In closing, Mr. Wolfe stated that the TTF will continue working on the projects outlined on the flow chart.
DISTRICT REPORTS
DISTRICT 1
Mr. John Gallagher stated that the District 1 Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is changing staff contacts. Ms. Debbie Thayer accepted a position with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the regional planning council is in the process of hiring her replacement. The LEPC completed last year's Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) planning project and, pending LEPC approval, will be conducting a Commodity Flow Study for its HMEP planning project this year.
DISTRICT 2
Mr. Chris Rietow stated the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is assisting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Leon County on a “Crossing the Lines” Workshop in the Regional Domestic Security Task Force's northern counties that border Georgia . The intent of the workshop is to reach out to neighboring counties across the state line to develop a working relationship that benefits both states. Mr. Rietow will assist in the planning of a table-top exercise with a hazardous materials component that can be used to meet the LEPC biennial exercise requirement. Mr. Rietow stated that the LEPC is ahead of schedule on completing hazards analyses on about 100 facilities in seven counties and is working with the Tallahassee Chapter of the American Red Cross to conduct a shelter-in-place demonstration for Hazardous Materials Awareness Week.
DISTRICT 3
Mr. Dwayne Mundy reported that the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will be issuing a press release on the Thomas Yatabe award winner for Hazardous Materials Awareness Week. Mr. Mundy stated the LEPC is scheduling a Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program class for February 2008 and the Environmental Protection Agency is also accepting comments on whether the ammonia released in animal wastes, mainly chicken farms, is subject to Section 304 release reporting requirements.
DISTRICT 4
Ms. Heather Golightly reported that the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is working on completing the hazards analyses and the LEPC will be conducting its biennial exercise January 23, 2008. The exercise includes a mass casualty, mass evacuation, hazardous materials release and a terrorism scenario.
Ms. Golightly stated the Local Emergency Planning Committee will be posting a “Hazardous Materials Awareness Week” proclamation in the Times Union and the Florida Administrative Weekly and airing a hazardous materials awareness video on the local public access television channel. The LEPC will also issue a press release to CBS 47 and Fox 30 news in recognition of the week.
Ms. Golightly reported the LEPC will conduct “Quality Control of Submitted Tier II Information” for its Hazards Materials Emergency Preparedness Planning grant project.
DISTRICT 5
Mr. Michael Arnold stated that for Hazardous Material Awareness Week, the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is working with the counties in the district on adopting a declaration recognizing the week and the LEPC is sending a press release to local newspapers
Mr. Arnold also stated the LEPC will be submitting the Sumter County hazard analyses to the Division of Emergency Management. On April 9, 2008 the LEPC will conduct a table-top exercise and a full-scale exercise will be conducted April 30, 2008. Mr. Arnold noted the LEPC has scheduled an 8-hour Hazardous Materials Refresher course for January 15, 2008.
DISTRICT 6
Ms. April Raulerson reported that for Hazardous Material Awareness Week the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will be airing a hazardous materials informational video on the local television station and conducting a How-To-Comply workshop
January 24, 2008. The East Central Florida Regional Planning will also pass a resolution recognizing the week.
Ms. Raulerson also noted that the LEPC has scheduled two Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation courses to take place in March.
DISTRICT 7
Chairman Mike Linkins reported the multi-vehicle accident on Intrastate Highway 4 required mutual aid assistance from many jurisdictions. There were 70 cars and trucks involved, 38 people were transported to seven area hospital with four fatalities. He thanked everyone who assisted in the response.
Mr. Chuck Carter noted the passing of Ms. Charlotte Albritton as a result of an automobile accident. Ms. Albritton worked for Desoto County Emergency Management as a planner.
Mr. Carter reported that the Local Emergency Planning Committee's Training Task Force member, Gary Weiss, has been appointed to the State Emergency Response Commission and
Mr. Tom Moran will be replacing Mr. Weiss on the Training Task Force. Mr. Carter stated that for Hazardous Materials Awareness Week the Local Emergency Planning Committee is planning a television spot recognizing their Thomas Yatabe Award winner and the LEPC will be distributing the “When Disaster Strikes” pamphlet created by the LEPC.
DISTRICT 8
Mr. Bill Lofgren provided each district with a copy of a Power Point presentation on the hot- wash conducted by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue on the ammonia pipeline release that occurred November 12-14, 2007. Mr. Lofgren provided a briefing on the response to the release and other pertinent information in reference to the pipeline.
Mr. Lofgren reported that the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) plans on conducting an all hazards risk assessment workshop January 15, 2007 to assist businesses with improving their response plans. The LEPC is planning the biennial exercise in cooperation with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The exercise will include a forensics and hazardous materials scenario. Mr. Lofgren noted that during Hazardous Materials Awareness Week, the LEPC will hold its meeting January 23, 2008 in the new Manatee County Emergency Operations Center .
DISTRICT 9
Chairman Bruce Porter reported that at the December Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) meeting Mr. John Long with Florida Gas Transmission Company provided training on natural gas pipelines.
Mr. John Gibbons stated that for Hazardous Materials Awareness Week the LEPC and the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council each adopted a proclamation in recognition of the week. The LEPC will also encourage all the political subdivisions, emergency management agencies and fire departments within the district to do the same. A How-to-Comply” workshop will be conducted, January 25, 2008, a public availability notice will be published in a local newspaper and hazardous materials awareness information will be posted on the LEPC website during the week.
Mr. Gibbons reported on a hazardous materials release at a fertilizer plant in Glades County and the facts and concerns about the release.
Mr. Gibbons noted that the LEPC approved conducting a Hazardous Materials course for utility operators, a HAZWOPER course and an Air Monitoring course. Finally, Mr. Gibbons said the LEPC will be conducting a biennial exercise. The exercise scenario will involve mass casualties, terrorism and hazardous materials scenarios. The LEPC will ask the Regional Domestic Security Task Force, area hospitals and local health departments to participate in the exercise.
DISTRICT 10
Chairman Chris Bushman stated that the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) had a very active year in 2007. He noted that the LEPC conducted a biennial exercise last year and the district is involved with two nuclear power plants that conduct annual drills and a Federal Emergency Management Agency evaluated drill will be conducted in 2008.
Ms. Kate Boer stated that in recognition of the Hazardous Materials Awareness Week, the Indian River County Health Department will do a five-minute interview on public radio on Thursday, January 24, 2008. The interview will focus on notification to the State Warning Point, what training opportunities the LEPC can offer and information on the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. Within a three-week period surrounding and during Hazardous Materials Awareness Week, the LEPC will be delivering a series of postcards to LEPC members and Section 302 facilities in the district. The post cards will focus on a different educational topic each week. The LEPC adopted a resolution in recognition of the week and the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council will do the same at its meeting next week.
Ms. Boer noted that the LEPC recently conducted six Hazardous Materials Awareness level classes and two more Awareness level classes are scheduled for March 2008. The LEPC plans on conducting HAZWOPER Refresher courses in March and April of this year. Finally, two HazMat IQ classes will be offered in Fort Pierce , February 20 and 21, 2008.
DISTRICT 11
Mr. George Danz stated that Mr. Don Perdue, the LEPC's Thomas Yatabe Award Winner, is unable to attend the meeting, but he sends his greetings.
Mr. Manny Cela said that the Local Emergency Planning Committee met in October, 2007 and approved a recommendation by the Training Subcommittee to prepare a multi-year training calendar so people can plan ahead for training opportunities.
Mr. Cela then noted that for Hazardous Materials Awareness Week, the LEPC website is being used to promote the week. Also, the regional planning council's public relations person is attempting to get local newspapers to publish a press release in recognition of the week.
Mr. Cela reported that this is the year the LEPC conducts its biennial exercise. The Miami-Dade Transit Authority expressed interest in participating in the exercise and the details will be discussed in the near future.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Date noted that almost all of the compact discs with the data from the Hazardous Materials Information System to be distributed to each LEPC district were already taken. Mr. Date will ensure that any LEPC missing the disc will receive one as soon as possible.
Mr. Date stated the dates for Hazardous Materials Awareness Week are January 20-26, 2008. Mr. Date requested the Local Emergency Planning Committees provide information to him as to what promotional events the district is planning.
Mr. Date reported on the Inaugural Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region IV Chemical Emergency Conference held in Tampa November 14-16, 2007. Mr. Date noted that the conference was presentation oriented. The District 3 LEPC representative, Mr. Dwayne Mundy , participated in a presentation along with LEPC representatives from Texas and Alabama regarding what it takes to make a LEPC successful. Mr. Date,
Mr. Mundy and Mr. Byron Underwood also met with representatives from the EPA, Alabama and Mississippi to share ideas on how Alabama could strengthen its LEPC program.
Mr. Phil Wieczynski thanked everyone for their attendance at the EPA conference and at the Clean Gulf Conference that was held in conjunction with the EPA conference.
Mr. Bill Lofgren noted that the National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials Conference will be held April 8-9, 2008 in Savannah , Georgia .
District 4 LEPC gave a presentation on a 16-hour Hazardous Materials Leaks and Spills Control training course conducted by Safety Systems.
Mr. Lee Newsome provided a presentation on the District 6 LEPC Biennial Exercise. The exercise actually consisted of a table-top exercise March 30, 2007 and a full-scale exercise July 31, 2007. Mr. Newsome noted that the exercises were multi-functional and multi-jurisdictional involving hundreds of participants. Mr. Newsome said that the cooperation between participants was exceptional and the exercises provided an opportunity for many jurisdictions to exercise their emergency plans and protocols.
Mr. Date stated that the revised How-to Comply handbooks went to the Department of Management Services to be printed, however, no date has been provided on when they will be available for distribution.
Mr. Date stated that there is still no word on when the Department of Transportation Emergency Response Guidebooks will be delivered and that Mr. Roy Dunn with the Division of Emergency Management is the point of contact for information on delivery of the guidebooks.
Ms. Kate Boer stated the Local Emergency Planning Committee handbook is in need of updating. She will accept recommendations from the other LEPCs and submit the recommendations to Mr. Date.
Mr. Danz stated that there is no new business to take to SERC at this time.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 3, 2008 in Tallahassee , Florida
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.
Resource Pages
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) and the 2005 Annual Fee Package (PDF)
EPCRA Reporting Forms (Tier II/TRI)
