LaSalle County EMA to inspect Tier II facilities; plans to visit one-third of sites each year

LaSalle County Emergency Management told the Public Safety Committee it will visit facilities that file Tier II hazardous-chemical reports and aims to inspect about one-third of those facilities each year.

Fred, the county EMA director, said January through March are busy months for hazardous-materials work and that last year the county identified roughly 53 facilities with extremely hazardous substances (he also said the number might have been 57). ‘‘The goal is to visit one third of those facilities every year so that we're putting eyes on each facility every three years to make sure that there's, if there's been any development in the area, any changes to the facility,’’ Fred said.

Fred described the visits as documentation for the county hazardous chemical response plan and said the inspections assess nine criteria, including training, drills and identification of a facility's worst-case scenario. He said the county has been invited to participate in facility drills and sometimes counts real incident responses as exercises when appropriate. Fred also reported recent call-outs for the county field service unit for structure fires and an incident that resulted in a fatality at a tow yard; he said federal and state grant reimbursements had been submitted for some expenses.

Committee members asked whether the EMA requests permission before visiting sites. Fred said he approaches facilities alphabetically, invites himself, and, if denied access, will coordinate with local fire departments to obtain needed observations. He said he plans site visits over the upcoming six-week period.