Wednesday, November 29, 2000

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

When it began in 1985, the Fayette County Local Emergency Planning Committee was mainly focused on identifying trouble areas in the county where a chemical release could cause a potential disaster.

But over the past four years, that scope has changed to the prevention of such accidents, said LEPC chairman Pete Nelms.

Since there has been only one reported chemical spill so far this year compared to six in 1996 the focus on prevention seems to be working, Nelms added.

"That tells us our mitigation program is starting to take hold," Nelms said. He is quick to add that the success of the LEPC depends heavily on the input from the local industries.

"It's the industries that really drive this," Nelms said. "They know their plan and procedures far better than we do."

Kent Howell of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division said Fayette County's LEPC is the most productive LEPC in the state.

"They have done a lot of very effective and innovative things that have advanced the public safety of the county," Howell said.

With the industries and emergency agencies teaming up, the LEPC has been able to accomplish several major projects to enhance safety planning. The LEPC designed a computer program that allows industries to evaluate their own emergency preparedness. That initiative was cited by the federal government as a good way to help industries plan for potential emergencies, Nelms said.

Also thanks to the LEPC, hazardous materials crews have access to a laptop computer that lists the types of chemicals and where they're stored at each site. That gives them critical information that's needed quickly when responding to a chemical release, Nelms added.

The LEPC also is compiling a plan to respond to potential chemical releases on the CSX railroad line that goes through Peachtree City, Tyrone and a part of unincorporated Fayette County.

The First Call automatic phone system that sends emergency messages to residences in a particular area was also funded by the LEPC.

A recent $13,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will allow a local industry to train its employees and hazardous materials crews from local emergency agencies on how to handle a particular chemical, Nelms said.

And through the LEPC's Resource Council, local emergency agencies have access to equipment and other materials they might need to clean up a chemical spill, Nelms said. That way, one quick phone call could provide equipment that it might take several hours to acquire through a private contractor, he said.

"First, that gives us the chance to get the equipment at a moment's notice," Nelms said. "And second, it saves a tremendous amount of money."

The Resource Council is a subsidiary of the LEPC which approves how the LEPC member fees will be spent, Nelms said. All industries and municipalities pay the member fees and help decide how to best spend the funds for safety equipment and training, Nelms added.

Over the last five years, the LEPC's Resource Council has spent over $70,000 on equipment and training to benefit public safety, Nelms said.

Some industries, like NCR, take the lead by helping other industries with their emergency planning, Nelms said.

The LEPC is also supported by the various development authorities in the county, Nelms added.

"A lot of these programs we wouldn't be able to do without them," Nelms said.

Fayette Community Hospital also has become more involved with the LEPC recently, Nelms added.

Although membership on the LEPC is mostly relegated to industries and emergency agencies, members of the public are allowed to participate also, he said.

"We're all after a safe community and a safe place to live and work," Nelms said.

Though there are other LEPCs in the state, they are not required to be used by counties, Nelms said.

"It's rare in this county to have one of those events, nevertheless the potential is there and our job is to prepare for it effectively and efficiently," Nelms said.

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