Amy Sebring: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Forum! Amy Sebring: For the benefit of our first-timers, when you see a blue web address, you can click on it and the referenced web page should appear in a browser window. Amy Sebring: Right before we begin the Q&A portion I will review how to submit questions. Amy Sebring: As you may know, we have been devoting our Round Table sessions to introduce some of our EIIP partners. Amy Sebring: Today we are very pleased to welcome the Lake County, Indiana LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee). Amy Sebring: Here is the link to their very professional looking Website Amy Sebring: http://www.lepc.co.lake.in.us/ Amy Sebring: Representing the LEPC today is its Chair, Chief of the Highland Fire Department, and President of the Lake County Fire Chief's Association, Bill Timmer. Amy Sebring: Chief Timmer has over twenty years experience in both municipal and industrial Fire and Rescue Services. His experience covers Fire Protection, Inspection Services, HazMat Response, Emergency Planning, Incident Command, and Emergency Medical Services. Amy Sebring: With Chief Timmer today, sharing the terminal, is Dean Larson Ph.D., CSP and CEM, with additional qualifications in hazardous materials and explosive safety. Amy Sebring: Dr. Larson is the Department Manager, Safety and Industrial Hygiene for U.S. Steel Gary Works in Gary, Indiana, and is the U.S. Steel representative to the LEPC. Amy Sebring: Welcome to you both gentlemen. We are very pleased you could join us today to tell us about, what sounds like, one of the more successful LEPC's around. Bill Timmer: Thank you, Amy. I have with me this morning Dean Larson, our LEPC Training Chair, from U. S. Steel - Gary Works. Bill Timmer: The motto of the State of Indiana is "Crossroads of the Nation;" Lake County in the northwest corner is truly a crossroads within a crossroads. Bill Timmer: The north half of this county of 650,000 is home to heavy industry: steel, refining and chemicals and the majority of the population; the south half of the county is agricultural. Two major interstates and three railroad trunk lines pass through our county. Bill Timmer: REPRESENTATIVES. The Lake County LEPC has strong representation from municipal, military, volunteer, media, industry, environmentalist, EPA, utilities, railroad, and medical. Not only do we have coverage but coverage "in depth." Bill Timmer: CONTINUITY. Several of the current representatives were members when the LEPC was formed in 1986. Bill Timmer: INNOVATION. We are proud of innovations in training, emergency preparedness, and community information resources. We have presented an Operations Level (HazMat) course in radiation safety. Bill Timmer: We co-sponsor the C.A.N. system and have developed two videos to tell our story. The latest video was prepared for school children. Bill Timmer: PLANNING. The LEPC has reviewed and revised the entire county emergency plan, not just the HazMat Annex, as our "charter" would dictate. This plan has become the model for the state. Bill Timmer: CROSSES POLITICAL BOUNDARIES. Politics is a "way of life" in Lake County. The LEPC has been able to cross the boundaries without ruffling many feathers. Bill Timmer: CLOSE COOPERATION. With both federal (EPA) and state (IDEM - Indiana Department of Environmental Management). This cooperation has facilitated several coordinated situations between industry and regulators. Bill Timmer: Example of the cooperation: State-of-the-art communications trailer. Result of one of the industries settling a case with the EPA by paying for the trailer in lieu of fines. Bill Timmer: BRIDGE GAPS. LEPC works constantly to overcome obstacles to effective performance in emergency planning and HazMat preparedness. We continue to avoid the temptation to become a political arena to further personal or organizational agendas. Bill Timmer: NEGOTIATING. Skillfully leveraged networking to assist in resolving issues. Example: Navy's plan to recycle napalm in our county. The LEPC gained national recognition for work with this issue. Bill Timmer: Though the Navy was unsuccessful in initiating the local contract, the LEPC facilitated communication among the parties. Bill Timmer: RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRM. Sponsor the network of ten industries working together on RMP plan preparation and rollout. The is a first-ever for our county. Bill Timmer: This same effort has fostered another innovation: development of a network of twelve industrial emergency response departments. Bill Timmer: AWARD WINNING LEPC. The State of Indiana has recognized our LEPC with eight awards of excellence. Bill Timmer: This is our prepared presentation. Both Bill and Dean are open for questions. Bill Timmer: Amy, we thank you and turn this back to you for questions. Amy Sebring: Thank you Chief Timmer and Dean. Audience please enter a question mark (?) to indicate you wish to be recognized, go ahead and compose your comment or question, but wait for recognition before hitting the enter key or clicking on Send. Amy Sebring: Ok, we are ready for your questions or comments. Bill Timmer: Yes Amy Sebring: the first one always comes a little slow ... David Crews: ? Amy Sebring: Ok David please. Ann Willis: ? David Crews: Where is you plan located for HAZMAT in the LEOP? Bill Timmer: part of the county emergency plan, our vice Chair is the county EMA director Amy Sebring: Ann please. Ann Willis: Very impressive. What triggered your expansion out from the traditional area of HazMat into developing the overall county plan? Bill Timmer: We made good sense to us to develop one plan for the county rather than separate efforts. We had the "right" people assembled to do both. Amy Sebring: ? David Crews: ? Amy Sebring: What do you think are the most important ingredients for a successful LEPC? Bill Timmer: Good representation from ALL stakeholders. Avoid the tendency to make the LEPC a forum for political debate. Amy Sebring: David please. David Crews: Is the RMP and the County Plan for HAZMAT one and the same? Jon Boettcher: ? Isabel McCurdy: ? AK Miller: ? Bill Timmer: No, not at this point. It is probable that elements of the RMP will be rolled into the county plan in the future. At this point, the RMP is being developed by the separate companies in a working group sponsored by the LEPC. Amy Sebring: Jon please. Jon Boettcher: Does Lake County levy Tier II filing fees? If so, how were political/industrial sensitivities overcome? Bill Timmer: At the state level only... Bill Timmer: the sensitivities did not come into play because the county does not impose fees. Amy Sebring: Isabel please. Isabel McCurdy: Could you elaborate on what is "right" people? Bill Timmer: We have used the list mandated in SARA Title III ... Bill Timmer: aiming for depth in each area ... Amy Sebring: ? Bill Timmer: the list has been expanded to include elements like the Indiana National Guard. Amy Sebring: AK please. AK Miller: Is HazMat response a Fire Dept function or have you integrated it with the industrial response depts. you mentioned? If so how did you manage? Bill Timmer: We have also included local environmentalist groups because they are strong stakeholders in our county. Bill Timmer: Yes, routinely I am called in to assist in industrial problems .... Bill Timmer: this cooperation is facilitated by the various LEPC members. David Crews: ? Amy Sebring: How have you been able to sustain the level of commitment from your participants all these years? Bill Timmer: Good question, best answer I can offer is we are "truly blessed" with good people ... Bill Timmer: and we try to make participation interesting because of new projects and new approaches. Amy Sebring: David please. David Crews: Have you integrated your Response, training, Decon and Equipment and shared costs between the public and private sectors? Amy Sebring: ? Bill Timmer: No, we have not. Local fire department has spiller pay ordinances .... Bill Timmer: to recover their costs. Amy Sebring: Are you set up as a non-profit? Do you have a budget, and if so what is the source? Bill Timmer: LEPC is not set as a non-profit ... Bill Timmer: we have close ties with the LC Fire Chiefs Association is non-profit ... Bill Timmer: our budget comes from state Tier II fees. Amy Sebring: Oh? Do you get a share back from the state then? David Crews: ? Bill Timmer: Yes and we are reimbursed for expenses .... Bill Timmer: such as training courses. Amy Sebring: David please. David Crews: What kind of mutual aid do you have for large events? Amy Sebring: ? Bill Timmer: County-wide through the Firs Chiefs Association ... Bill Timmer: and local industries have some mutual aid agreements which come into play during large events. Amy Sebring: I was going to ask a similar question to David's, has LEPC helped facilitate Mutual Aid agreements? or has that been primarily the Fire Chiefs? Ann Willis: ? Bill Timmer: Primarily the Fire Chiefs Association ... Bill Timmer: but we have numerous members of the LEPC which are also members of the association. Amy Sebring: Ann please. Amy Sebring: ? Ann Willis: With your wide variety of stakeholders do you find that your web page helps you communicate? Would you recommend it to other organizations? Bill Timmer: Yes, we do find it helps with our communication ... Bill Timmer: it also helps with community outreach ... Ann Willis: The last question is would you recommend it to other organizations? Bill Timmer: and it is our chance to "toot the horn" of our members .... Bill Timmer: check the Website now for our honoring one of our members ... David Crews: URL? Bill Timmer: who has been a members since the beginning. Amy Sebring: http://www.lepc.co.lake.in.us/ Bill Timmer: It was listed earlier at the start of the program. Bill Timmer: thanks, Amy Amy Sebring: We have a problem here with coverage in unincorporated areas. Is that a challenge for you also? Bill Timmer: Yes, but he Fire Chiefs Association cover the entire county ... Amy Sebring: ? Bill Timmer: this helps us with the issues which are unique to the south county area, mainly rural. Amy Sebring: Are your rural areas covered by volunteer depts.? and do they participate in LEPC also? Bill Timmer: Yes and Yes. Bill Timmer: Our Chief's Association coordinator, member of the LEPC .... Bill Timmer: is from one of those volunteer departments. Amy Sebring: Can you tell us a little more about how the industrial emergency response network works? Bill Timmer: He is here helping us today. Bill Timmer: The network was fostered by the RMP working group ... Bill Timmer: as we looked at the stakeholders it was obvious that industrial needed .... Bill Timmer: to help each other because they would be receptors from accidents. Bill Timmer: We have had excellent response from twelve companies along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Bill Timmer: Even we have bridge two counties with this effort. Amy Sebring: So what form did that take, is there a kind of mutual aid agreement between plants? Bill Timmer: No, the mutual aid agreements were the "sticking point .... Bill Timmer: with the respective legal departments of the companies involved .... Bill Timmer: we are slowly working our way through this issue. Lindsey Burke: ? Amy Sebring: I imagine THAT would be a challenge ... Amy Sebring: Lindsey please. Lindsey Burke: I just wondering...do you as the LEPC work with any other LEPCs nearby or across borders? Amy Sebring: ? Bill Timmer: Yes, we work with the LEPC to the county immediately to the east and with the City of Chicago ... Bill Timmer: the city has responded in mutual aid situations, including their fire boat. Amy Sebring: Do you actually USE your Tier II data each year, and if so, how? Bill Timmer: Yes, we do .... Bill Timmer: after our internal committee reviews the reports for problems .... Bill Timmer: we publish a list for fire departments ... Bill Timmer: and close interaction with both the EPA and IN Dept of Env. Mgt. David Crews: ? Amy Sebring: Are you using CAMEO or some other database? Bill Timmer: CAMEO is in use and we have developed our own tracking program ... Bill Timmer: because we have over 250 facilities which submit Tier II's. Amy Sebring: Having done it myself, I know that is a big job. David please. David Crews: What kind of computer software response programs do you use (besides CAMEO and CAN) Amy Sebring: (CAN= Community Alert Network) Bill Timmer: Use CAMEO for response ... Bill Timmer: and some industries are using EIS. Amy Sebring: ? Amy Sebring: I understand the EPA has proposed dropping gas stations from the Tier II requirements... Amy Sebring: is your LEPC taking a position on that? Bill Timmer: The state has announced gas stations will remain reporting ... Bill Timmer: our LEPC took a strong position against removal of these reporting facilities. Amy Sebring: Anyone else have a question? David Crews: ? Amy Sebring: Yes, David please. David Crews: What kind of common communication/information networks do you have between members. Bill Timmer: Our Planning subcommittee meets every other week ... Bill Timmer: our regular monthly meetings ... Amy Sebring: ? Bill Timmer: web site and regular mailings to all members. Amy Sebring: I think David is referring to a radio system perhaps. Bill Timmer: I must add that our LEPC enjoys several regular informal comm. networks. David Crews: Computer net (intranet) Amy Sebring: Ok. Do you also analyze and review your incident reports for trends? Bill Timmer: Not yet ... in the planning stage. Dean and I talk regularly, at least four times per week. Bill Timmer: Yes, at every Planning Subcommittee and LEPC meeting all incidents are reported ... Bill Timmer: analysis takes place through the Planning Subcommittee .... Bill Timmer: for example, are we seeing an increase in a particular type of incident which should David Crews: ? Bill Timmer: trigger a new intervention from the LEPC. Amy Sebring: David. David Crews: Have you had problems with trade names/secrets and nomenclatures? Amy Sebring: ? Bill Timmer: Yes, interpretation of that rule has created heat debate .... internal to the committee ... Bill Timmer: candidly we have had a few missteps over this issue by asking for MORE reports. Amy Sebring: It appears your Planning Subcommittee is very important. Can you mention any other subcommittee, for example do you have one for public education? Bill Timmer: The majority of the work of the LEPC starts in the Planning Subcommittee ... Bill Timmer: our Training committee had done several innovative training programs and ... Bill Timmer: our public outreach committee has commissioned two award-winning videos, the last for kids. Amy Sebring: I think we are just about out of time ... Amy Sebring: Thank you again gentlemen... Bill Timmer: Amy, on behalf of our LEPC, we thank you for the honor you have accorded us. Amy Sebring: we wish you continued success with your LEPC. Amy Sebring: It has been our privilege. Amy Sebring: Ava is on the road today, so I will have to do our coming attractions. Tomorrow at 12: 00 Noon EST, Dr. Jack Harrald will be in the Classroom to answer the question ... Amy Sebring: What is the Institute for Crisis, Disaster and Risk Management? Dr. Harrald is the Director of the Institute at George Washington University, and will be sharing some very interesting hazards analysis. Amy Sebring: Thursday evening, 8: 00 PM Eastern will be our Mutual Aid session in the Virtual Forum. Bill Timmer: Our Website had Dean Larson's e Mail address ... drlarson@uss.com. Amy Sebring: Thank you audience. We will adjourn for now, but you are invited to remain a few minutes longer for some open discussion.