Local Emergency Planning Committee gears up for emergencies

The Mineral County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) met for their monthly meeting on January 7. Tim Read, Mineral County Planner and Retired Superior Fire Chief John Woodland presented a slide show to the group regarding the freezing rain and icy roads that occurred on December 4 which resulted in closing I-90. The highway was closed for several hours, and stranded about 200 trucks in the County. The group discussed the event and came up with suggestions and strategies that would help deal with similar emergencies in the future. 

Suggestions included additional training, better signage, and planning by and with the Department of Transportation. One problem was that trucks blocked the County’s sand storage, preventing sanders from getting out onto the roads. It was suggested that the access point needed to be marked with no parking signage.

Another issue that LEPC is dealing with is communication capabilities. Because the Clark Fork Valley is mountainous, there are areas where emergency response teams cannot pick up a cell service or a radio signal. A few days after their meeting, LEPC chairman, George Gupton, met with Alvie Benskin, who is a counselor and technician with the Mobile Veteran Center. The Vet Center is an initiative of the VA called VA2Vets was started a few years ago and provides centers that are equipped with a confidential counseling space and a state of the art communication package. They travel to communities to extend VA’s reach to Veterans, service members and their families, especially to those living in rural areas like Mineral County.

However, another service these Mobile Vet Centers provide is to be an emergency response vehicle. 

“The vehicle has a good satellite system,” explained Gupton, “it doesn’t operate using phone lines or cell towers. It’s also a good fit for emergencies because there are times when emergency responders need a place to get out of the weather, and have a base of operation. Especially if it’s an emergency that lasts a few days.”

Benskin said that if the vehicle is available, they would definitely dispatch to an emergency situation.

In the meantime, the Vet Mobile has plans to continue to come to Superior and park at the Mineral Community Hospital once a week to help vets. The facility offers counseling to vets and their families, covering a variety of issues such as bereavement for families who have experienced active duty death, military sexual trauma, substance abuse, and PTSD. The LEPC was formed in 2001 in response to the federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) in 1986. Title III of SARA, also known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). 

SARA requires each state to promote outreach and development of local preparedness programs to respond to chemical releases. The committee is also responsible to receive reports from communities, organize, analyze and disseminate the information to local governments and the public.

This law was in direct response to the 1984 Bhopal India disaster in which a Union Carbide pesticide plant released 30 tons of highly toxic gases into the surrounding area. Exposing 600,000 people to dangerous chemicals and toxins according to theatlantic.com website. It is considered the world’s worst industrial disaster.

The LEPC committee has grown from just dealing with hazardous waste and the “Right-to-Know” act. They have updated emergency operation plans, create pre-disaster mitigation plans, they do risk assessments, and more. Gupton said that some of the larger issues facing this area are things like derailments, highway accidents, and forest fires. 

The committee, which is funded by federal grants, as well as state and county funds, is not a response committee, but a planning entity. Gupton said that currently they have very good communication between emergency responders and most of the county is involved with the group. They would like to see an increased involvement with local power companies including Northwestern Energy, Cenex, and Missoula Rural Electric Coop. 

Currently, the committee consists of members from local fire departments, ambulance services, schools, the sheriff’s department, highway patrol, the hospital, the forest service, search and rescue, Montana Rail Link, commissioners, county planner, health departments and residents. Gupton said that they are always looking for more public involvement and anyone is welcome to attend their monthly meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for February 11 at 4 p.m. in the commissioners meeting room in Superior.