LEPC Tabletops Close Out 2009.

Ted Dyer, 1/13/09

The concept of unified command requires that representatives from business, government and response agencies meet face to face in order to coordinate operations in an emergency.  To those not involved in emergency response, this might seem like simple common sense, but in fact, the concept of true unified command only began to emerge after some hard lessons were learned after 911 and during the 2005 hurricane season.  In the pre-Katrina days, it was common for each agency to set up its own command.  Face to face contact was rare, and operations often were not as efficient as they might have been.  By the end of 2005 it was clear that changes were needed.

In 2006, the Boone County LEPC, in cooperation with stakeholders throughout the mid-Missouri area, began to hold “tabletop” exercises so that responders, businesses and community leaders could meet to work through the challenges and opportunities that the new unified structure afforded.  Using the newly minted National Incident Management System (NIMS), the LEPC began to drive towards a better emergency command structure. Working with local industry, a series of exercises were held throughout Boone County and the City of Columbia.  Tabletops were created to help define command and to address specific hazards present at host facilities. 

In the beginning, the discussions were basic.  After several events, however, LEPC members began to deal with more complex issues such as radioactive release, transportation accidents and mass evacuation.

The last half of 2009 saw two of these tabletops held.  On September 9th, the group met in Centralia’s city hall to deal with a theoretical release of a toxic vapor cloud.  On December 9th, the group met again at the Gates Power Transmission Materials Center to discuss the best way to deal with a release of an industrial solvent.  In these sessions, representatives from government, law enforcement, industry, fire and medical providers were given a scenario and a set of questions to answer as a group.  As each member gave input, others in the group were asked to address concerns from their particular perspective.

“Fire, law and medical all know their responsibilities and priorities” said LEPC chairperson Scott Olsen during the recent Gates tabletop. “We often forget that business has a unique set of requirements that are very important to the community.  The tabletops help us explore these priorities before real emergencies arise.  We also get people together face to face so that when the time comes to work an actual incident, the people already know each other.”

Additional tabletops and live exercises are under consideration for 2010.  This website will provide details as they become available.