Ottawa County Emergency Management

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Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) are appointed by the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). LEPCs must consist of representatives of all of the following groups and organizations:

Elected and local officials
Law enforcement
Civil defense
Firefighters
First Aid
Health
Local environmental and transportation agencies
Hospitals
Broadcast and print media
Community groups
Representatives of facilities subject to the emergency planning and community right-to-know requirements.

The LEPCs initial task is to develop an emergency plan to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) list of extremely hazardous substances provides a focus for setting priorities in the planning effort. The plan is required to be completed by October 17^th of each year and is continually reviewed, tested and updated. Because the LEPC’s members represent the community, they are familiar with factors that affect public safety, the environment and the economy of the community. That expertise is essential as the LEPC develops a plan that is tailored to the needs of the county.

An emergency plan must include the identity and location of hazardous materials; procedures for immediate response to a chemical accident; ways to notify the public about actions they must take; names of coordinators at plants and schedules and plans for testing the plan. Once the plan is written, the SERC must review it. The LEPC must publicize the plan through public meetings or newspaper announcements, get public comments and periodically test the plan by conducting emergency drills. The LEPC must also update the plan at least annually and let the public know of its activities.

The LEPC has other responsibilities besides developing an emergency response plan. The committee receives emergency releases and hazardous chemical inventory information submitted by local facilities and must make this information available to the public upon request. The LEPC has the authority to request additional information from facilities for their own planning purposes or on behalf of others. Members may want to visit facilities in the community to find out what they are doing to reduce hazards, prepare for accidents and reduce hazardous inventories and releases. LEPCs are able to take civil actions against facilities if they fail to provide the information required under the Act.

In addition to its formal responsibilities, the LEPC serves as a focal point in the community for information and discussions about hazardous substances, emergency planning and health and environmental risks. Citizens can expect the LEPC to reply to questions about chemical hazards and risk management actions. It can also anticipate questions about the extent and the health and environmental effects of routine toxic chemical releases. Even though this information is not required by the law to be sent to LEPCs, EPA and the states are working together to ensure this information is available at the local level. Many companies are voluntarily providing local committees and other citizens with this information.

The LEPCs ability to improve the safety and health of the community is greatly enhanced by the support of an informed and active citizenry.

Members of the Ottawa County Local Emergency Planning Committee are:

Individual	Representing
Ben Fogle	Brush Wellman Local Industry
Katherine Mominee	Davis Besse NPS Local Industry
Craig Emahiser	Sheriff Law Enforcement
Bruce Moritz	Clay-Genoa Volunteer FD Fire
Carl Koebel	Ottawa County Commissioner Elected Official
Judy Norwine	HB Magruder Memorial Hospital
Mike Drusbacky	Ottawa County EMA Citizens Group
Nancy Osborn	Ottawa County Dept. of Health
Fred Petersen	Deputy Director Emergency Management Agency
Duane D. Waite	Transport Concepts Int.
Scott Young	Ottawa County Dept. of Health Local Environmental
Mike Czeczele	Ohio EPA Local Environmental
John Carroll	Catawba Fire & EMS Emergency Medical Services
Herb Oerlti	USCG MSO Toledo
Ed Haering	American Red Cross

The Ottawa County Local Emergency Planning Committee is comprised of four subcommittees:

Training and Public Information

Determine what agencies/departments/personnel in Ottawa County need training to deal with hazardous materials and develop a strategy to train them.
Set up a training schedule that will offer opportunities for all responders to receive training.
Determine the most effective ways to educate the public on what to do in case of a hazardous materials incident.

Exercise

Develop a strategy to test the hazardous materials plan.
Schedule exercises so that all state objectives are covered in the four-year exercise cycle.
Rotate exercise locations so that all response agencies have the opportunity to participate.

Planning and Enforcement

Determine what changes need to be made in the hazardous materials plan
Develop a plan for the development and use of the county’s hazardous materials response trailers.
Assist with the development of Standard Operating Guidelines for responding agencies in the county.
Determine what facilities are not in compliance with filing regulations and develop a strategy to enforce their compliance.

Hazard Analysis

Layout a schedule so that all Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS) facilities are analyzed in a four year period.
Analyze the risks posed by EHS facilities and document those risks in the hazardous materials plan.

The Ottawa County Plan for Response to Hazardous Materials Emergencies is available for review by the public at the Ida Rupp Public Library in Port Clinton, Ohio.

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