New Hanover County LEPC Minutes 8.9.2017New Hanover County LEPC Minutes
August 9, 2017
The following persons signed the roster indicating they were in attendance:
NAME BUSINESS NAME BUSINESS
Kevin Cowan Seaside Safety Tom Collins Pender County EM
Frank Meyer NHCSO Michael Carlisle Pender County EM
Linda Willis NCDENR Tommy Batson Pender County EM
Jodie Ruskin UNCW Kent Tyndell Duke Energy – Sutton Plant
Tony Priest GE Hitachi Zak Whicker NHC EM
Mark Venters GE Hitachi Steve Mason Wilmington FD
Quint Ocock HEPACO Marchele Evans Praxair
Pat Kusek NHC Commissioner Tim Volk Praxair
Kevin Karow USCG Charles Dedroh Praxair
JeremyThomas USCG Teresa Smith NHC EM
Steven Still NHCEM/911 Billy Howard NHCRMC EMS
Tommy Grady NHSO Randy Wright SR&R
Carol Yates Corning
Elizabeth Meyer INVISTA
Welcome and Introductions:
The 3rd quarter meeting, held at the NHC Emergency Operations Center, was called to order at 11:00
hours starting with introductions. (Guest speaker announced, waiting arrival)
Membership announcements:
Tom Collins, Pender County Emergency Management
Minutes:
A review of meeting minutes from May 10, 2017 were read.
Open Forum:
Teresa announced we just received the Tier II Grant money which covers January to December, $1000.
We also received monies for Pender County. The monies need to be spent by the end of the year.
Linda Willis to work with Teresa on LEPC Public Service Outreach brochure.
Committee encouraged to reach out to Eric Hatcher, CFPUA for possible funds for exercise planning.
Everyone agreed that the advance agenda email was a good idea.
Exercise Announcements:
GE – October 4, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Evaluation Exercise. Internal re-training for
Emergency Managers (Sept 11-13)
NHC Fire – August 29 Drill – Wilmington Hazmat? Chief Pearsall – ABC shifts – exercise covers 3
days to get all shifts trained.
Airport – Mass Casualty October 14
Everyone needs to get to know their EM responders.
October 13 Annual Fire Expo
October 14 Community Health & Safety Festival at 230 Government Center Drive – Community
Outreach
The state has adopted E-Plan for hazardous chemicals. January 1-March 1 Tier II Reporting. Not every
county in the state uses E-Plan. This a tool for responders. Question was posed, would this be
beneficial for responders to identify onsite chemicals?
Answer: A supervisor on every responding shift across the board should have access. Tom Collins
brought up that some information is proprietary and needs to be protected. “Who” should have access?
Teresa Smith mentioned that someone at the state level was supposed to provide training on E-Plan but
that didn’t happen. Teresa has unofficially picked up training.
GE – brought up their internal re-training
Tom Collins says his areas have transportation issues for E-Plan – most hazardous chemicals come up
I-40
WISER is a tool to track “what to do in the first 15 minutes of a HazChem event”. This applies to EMS,
Law Enforcement, Fire Dept. before Incident Command is set up.
E-Plan has an Apple / Android phone app.
National Weather Service is called in during a HazMat event.
New Business:
Steven Sill introduced Zak Whicker to Emergency Management.
Last year a facility had a spill – they were cited for a step they missed during the reporting process.
Review reporting criteria – how to report a spill – follow up and what timeframe. Teresa asked if there
was something that everyone would like to be changed about the reporting form.
Gas stations are the largest response group – private owner stations don’t have an Emergency Action
Plan. We need to do outreach for the smaller entities.
New Hanover County requires reporting at over 500 lbs. for Tier II
Reporting requirements: If you store a reportable product for 24 hrs. it must be reported.
Pender County recommends having the Fire Inspector touch every business with Tier II Reporting
brochures. Fire inspectors should be first line of education.
Reporting is to protect responders.
Coast Guard has a source to tap into for cleanup. A semi-difficult process but doable.
Adjourned and seconded – 12:12pm
Sub-Committee Breakout Summaries:
None
LEPC Committees:
Executive Committee
Chairman- Teresa Smith
Vice-Chairman- Mike Alexander
Secretary- Jodie Ruskin
Emergency Planning & Response Sub-Committee:
Chairman- Eric Hatcher
Members: Steve Mason, Frank Meyer, Dustin Stream, Billy Howard, Thomas Johnson, Marchele
Evans, Heather Griffin,
Community Education & Public Response Sub-Committee:
Chairman- Linda Willis
Members- Teresa Smith
Next LEPC Meeting:
November 8th, 2017 at 11:00 AM in the New Hanover County Emergency Operations Center.