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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-09 LEPC Approved Minutes Minutes – July 9, 2025 New Hanover County EOC Attendees Name Business Name Business Haley Anderson Novant EMS Brooke Lotz Looking Glass Technology Kelly Anderson City of Wilmington Bill MacKay NHC EM Nick Bailey SR&R Environmental Craig Malone CFPUA Bailey Baldridge Hepaco, LLC Phil Misklow Stepan Corp., LEPC Vice Chair Benjamin Calhoun Novant EMS Rhonda Olson UNCW – LEPC Secretary Renee Culler ERM Steven Pfaff NWS Wilmington Drew Culp Hepaco, LLC James Schlotterbeck NHC Sheriff’s Office Mitch Dennis NHC EM John Shakespeare American Red Cross Andrew Dwyer Red Cross Joey Simmons Colonial Terminals Jason Fuller NHC EM Ron Stancil Sturdy Corp. Heather Griffin Southeastern Healthcare Chief John Stephenson Wilmington Fire Department Allen Hancock NC DOT Steven Still NHC Emergency Management Craig Harris City of Wilmington Mike Thompson American Red Cross Stan Harts Alcami, LEPC Chair Carla Turner NHC Health & Human Services David Horne Hepaco, LLC Michael Whaley NC DOT Timothy Keegan NHC Sheriff’s Department Staci White GE Vernova Hitachi Bryan Klostermeyer US Coast Guard Lisa Wurtzbacher NHC Assistant Manager Deanna Lanier NHC Emergency Management Ryan Young NC DOT Robin Lorenzen NCEM Area 5 Coordinator Welcome and Introductions The meeting was called to order by Stan Harts, LEPC Chair, at 11:01 AM. LEPC Members present introduced themselves. Review and Approval of May 14, 2025, LEPC Meeting Minutes The minutes of the May 14, 2025 meeting were provided. Drew Dwyer moved the minutes be approved with one noted change; Phil Misklow seconded the motion. The minutes were approved by unanimous consent. Discussion Topics “Why Me” LEPC Spotlight – Hepaco (Drew Culp) supports industrial services, environmental compliance and regulations, and emergency response. Hepaco is owned by Clean Harbors, the largest environmental and waste management company in the country. Hepaco provides emergency response, hazmat handling planning, and training services. The local office is an oil spill response operation (OSRO) location equipped for response to local waterways. Hurricane Season Forecast (Steve Pfaff) – Chantal locally had few impacts, however, there was a tornado, 1 fatality, and flooding. 2024 year in review – there were 5 land falling storms. Helene had $79.6B in damages and 242 fatalities. Helene made landfall 10 miles west of Perry FL as a Category 4 (140 mph winds) and had reports of 100+ mph gusts up to 350 miles inland from landfall. Looking forward to the coming season, there are multiple concerns. There is an increase of housing/ infrastructure, major hurricane return frequency is every 23 years (6 years overdue), and pervasive social media misinformation. Tropical weather outlooks show probable formation in the next 7 days. Issuance starts May 15th of each year. It is important to make note of the “prepare for” messaging in the briefings. Forecast for the coming year is 60% Above normal + 30% near normal = 90% near to above normal. NWS ILM Rivers and Lakes provides information on USGS stream level gauges. Is it important to help push flood safety messaging. Health and Human Services Tabletop – The exercise was held on June 16, 2025. The scenario was arsenic in apple juice at a high school. Several agencies attended. The exercise successfully identified many strengths and opportunities. The next exercise should be in 2026 to test administrative response plan. Business EOC – A BEOC is way for government agencies to collaborate with local businesses to the mutual benefit of operations allowing them to lead the way in community recovery and re- establishment of economic enterprise. Partners provide: input, recommendations, resources, and analysis; collaboration, training, and exercises; coordinate movement and resource requests; and, foster an environment of mutual aid. Subcommittee Reports 1. Executive Committee (Phil Misklow) – Elections are coming up in November. Nominations are welcome. 2. Emergency Planning/Response (Jason Fuller) – The training will be offered October 1-3. EOC for classroom training 0800 – 1200, skills portion will be at Pender County station 28 our on burn pads 1300 – 1800. Registrations to happen over the next month. Registrations for morning limited to EOC capacity with hands-on being much more limited. 3. Community Education/Public Awareness (Phil Misklow) – Still waiting to hear from printer. Invite your contacts to the LEPC meeting. Member Announcements • Wilmington Fire – The department is going through reorganization. Staff assignments may be changing. • Red Cross – Volunteers are currently supporting flooding in triangle area with 1 shelter open. Volunteers on standby to deploy to Texas, and currently deployed to St. Louis, MO. Give us notification if you need assistance. • Sturdy – The company has a dominantly elderly workforce. The timely information provided by NWS has been very helpful. • NHC EM – If you need help, additional information, etc., please reach out early and often. County based waivers of transportation are available if needed. Reach out for assistance requesting one from the State. • GE – The Wilmington campus will host an NRC exercise. Expect hospital involvement. • Novant – Currently planning a full scale MCI exercise for next year. Will reach out to partners for support. • City of Wilmington – To monitor local stream conditions, there were 4 stream gauges last year. This year there are 14 in the FIMAN network with 4 more coming on line. • UNCW – Move in is coming August 15 – 17th. We are in the early stages of planning a full scale exercise for June of next year. • State EM – The agency is still working through grant awards. Area 4 and 5 will be hosting an EM exercise in Sampson County next week. Participants can sign up through TERMS. • Coast Guard – It is transfer season, and some staff may be changing. The renaming of districts will be geographically tied rather than numbers. The next LEPC meeting is scheduled for 11:00 AM on September 10, 2025, in the NHC EOC. Adjournment Jason Fuller made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Phil Misklow. The meeting adjourned at 12:33 PM.