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  •   over 15 years ago

Local Planning Committees Already Exist

Active Local Emergency Planning Committee's already exist. There are approximately 4,000 of these committees operating accross the USA incorperating local police, fire, hospital, health departments, local government officals and industry representitives. These committees were established in 1986 by the US EPA under SARA, Title III legislation in response to the perceived need for communities to be able to respond to hazardous materials accidents in the USA following the Bhopal disaster in India in 1984.

I propose that these committees which still operate, be reinvigorated with their mandate expanded to include planning for a variety of other local disaster possibilities. This could be done on a voluntary basis, community by community with ideally some funding offered in support of the planning process. Input from each of the committee chairmen as to how this might be done would be useful. Some of the main issues addressed could be educational regarding the kind of support the community can expect from the state and federal governement. Each LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee) could identify what can be best handled at the local level, soliciting citizen participation and ideas. This could include organizing volunteers, intercommunity response coordination and developing written plans. Perhaps local planning guidance from FEMA could be offered through a website which could include the sharing of ideas and plans between communities.

Doing this on a voluntary basis allows each community to go through the process of assessing what will be needed to comply rather than having the negative reaction of being required to comply with a new unfunded mandate. Many financial and other incentives can be developed to make the process an exciting grassroots endeaver.

  • 7 comments

  •   •   about 15 years ago

    LEPCs do exist however some cover a small area and others cover most of a large county.  LEPCs might be a good vehicle, but don't forget Citizens Corps groups the Red Cross and other local groups.  They know the territory, are established and hve community support too! 

  •   •   about 15 years ago

    mr.disaster , a name I don't think I would choose for myself..;0) ,you make an excellent point.  There are so many other local organizations that have a record of participation in local planning activities and, as you say, have established community support..  I'd like to see all them come together and work through what will be necessary.  The LEPC structure might be a good starting point to innitiate this process.   The geographical issues you raise are surmountable through coordination.  Every state doesn't need to do it the same way.  So many of the other good ideas presented here in this Challange could be developed more broadly through this local network of existing groups.  Thanks for your good thoughts.

  •   •   about 15 years ago

    Watchingthesky.  You are right the handle just stuck several years ago.  LEPCs or any other emergency planning group that has a representation of community member can, given the will to do so, surmount most problems.  A simple solutions is were geography interferes to form a group on each side to resolve issues etc.  There is probably some room for national standards, but since all disasters are local the solutions should be local also.
    We did have several gruops come together when it was reported that a local dam had a 1 in 4 chance of failure.  The one group not at the table was the LEPC!  Planning has gone well, the dam is holding but at a reduced capacity, only local minor flooding this year.  Now that the problem is a couple of years old and failure is estimated to be 1 in 33 enthusiasim has fallen off.  W e will see what this fall's training exercise shows.

  •   •   about 15 years ago

    Your example about the planning around the potential for a local dam collapse is classic to show the need for planning to be local.  The lack of participation by the LEPC there was probably because currently LEPCs are mandated to plan only for hazardous materials accidents under the EPA... also many LEPCs are pretty lame right now.
    I actually would like to see the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) structure be transfered to FEMA and be revitalized with a new and expanded mandate... or, as you say, it could be under another local group's umbrella.  The key is that planning involve all of the local organizations that have something to contribute, and some responsibility for response.  The key word is LOCAL.
    Once a requirement is set forth for every state and municipality to develop a written plan, (I propose within the SERC/ LEPC structure)  with progress dates, people will begin to talk to each other.  I would like to see FEMA provide planning guidlines and technical support through its existing staff along with a website.  I would also like to see FEMA provide detail of the response support it offers, and each state provide detail of the support it can offer.. included in any written local plan so that the communication is two way.   I'd like to see many of the other good ideas expressed here in this Challenge considered by the Local Planning Groups as well, and incorporated in their planning documents where possible.
    There are many many people around the country, like yourself, that would love to be involved and even spearhead such local efforts.  Let's get started!

  •   •   about 15 years ago

    I completely agree about LEPC's being the most appropriate structure to facilitate emergency planning. However, studies done on the effectiveness of LEPC's during the 25 years that they have been in existance is not encouraging. As pointed out by a previous post - some LEPCs are not local - and can cover the entire state. And in other cases they are only one municipality, with some states having hundreds of LEPCs. The other major problem is lack of participation from the mandated community entities - particularly the media, elected officials, and citizens.
    To rehabilitate the LEPCs would require collaboration between EPA and FEMA and adoption of a truly comprehensive emergency planning activity. No longer separating chemical/technological hazards from natural hazards. Of course disease-based disasters would still be outside of this realm of planning.
    The biggest problem I see with Local planning is the STP issue - that the Same Ten People are the ones involved and participating. In rural communities - these Same Ten People are usually the paid full-time representatives of local government and emergency services.
     

  •   •   about 15 years ago

    IREM
    "To rehabilitate the LEPCs would require  collaboration between EPA and FEMA and adoption of a truly comprehensive emergency planning activity"
    I think you hit the nail on the head.
    Your last point about the STP (same ten people) issue is probably historically true.  If however, this process is given wide media attention, and openly supported by the Govener of each state, most groups would want to participate.  Clearly strong leadership will be required and I think there are a lot of strong people out there who would want to participate.
    Thanks for your thoughtful remarks.

  •   •   about 15 years ago

    I think that the State of the Union speech made the point of overlapping jurisdictions (EPA vs. FEMA).  You have pointed out the problem or governance.  The STP theory I hadn't heard before, but I agree totally.  Whatever the solution it needs to be broadbased and include more than the "usual suspects" (STP).  It does all go back to the idea that all disasters are local and because of that the solutions have to be local.  This will be interesting how these ideas and the discussions play out. 

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