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EMA reports hazmat response, haboob and new local weather monitoring tools; training set for July 22
Summary
Iroquois County EMA reported responses to a hazardous-materials truck rollover and a haboob/dust event, said a professional weather station and handheld anemometer are now in use, and invited board members to an administrative preparedness training at the county EOC on July 22.
Iroquois County Emergency Management Agency coordinator Mister Anderson summarized recent incidents and new equipment purchases, saying EMA supported a hazardous-materials response on May 13 after an oversized load flipped and that a May 16 haboob (dust storm) produced measured gusts up to 55 mph at the courthouse parking lot.
Anderson said fire crews mitigated diesel fuel leaks at the rollover and that the overturned crane did not discharge hundreds of gallons of hydraulic fluid as initially feared. He described documenting the dust event with a newly acquired professional anemometer and taking photos; those local wind readings were shared with the National Weather Service and assisted county decisions to clear outdoor events at Sequium High School. Anderson also said EMA installed a professional Davis weather station on the administration building roof; the station is publishing continuous local weather data to the EMA webpage and Facebook page and will be relocated slightly to improve accuracy because it now sits above HVAC units that skew temperature readings.
Nut graf: Anderson said the equipment improves local situational awareness for incident commanders and hazard responders because it provides immediate, site-specific wind, temperature and humidity data rather than relying on distant airport reports. He also listed recent EMA purchases paid from his budget: a professional handheld anemometer and DOT-compliant reflective coats for field safety.
Training and planning: Anderson invited Chairman Ducat and Vice Chairman Watts to an administrative-preparedness training with the health department at 9 a.m. July 22 in the county EOC; he said the training will test short- and long-term funding procedures for major health incidents and exercises the county’s purchase operations plan. He also said the county is awaiting FEMA and state approval of the local hazard mitigation plan and that the availability of mitigation grant funds prompted the siren proposal discussed elsewhere on the agenda.
Ending: Anderson said he will continue to publish weather-station data online and to follow up on the hazard-mitigation-plan timeline and grant application work.
