Galesburg Reporter

City of Galesburg Knox County Local Emergency Planning Committee met April 25. 

Here is the minutes as provided by the committee:

Members Present:

Tom Simkins, Jim Cueno, Mike Howard, Brock Schmitt, Brian Anderson, Julie Corben, Nick Ward, Stephanie Dorethy, Jason Kirsh

LEPC Secretary Tom Simkins called the Regular Meeting to order at 2:05 p.m.

Approval of October 23, 2018 Regular and Annual Meeting minutes

Minutes distributed and summarized by Secretary Simkins. Moved by Julie Corben, second by Brian Anderson to accept the minutes, all yeas.

Old Business

Tier II reports were presented and discussed by members. GFD Captain Brock Schmitt reported on activities of the MABAS Division #31 Haz Mat Team. Haz mat funding through MABAS remains to be declining each year since 2004. State MABAS and the Illinois Terrorism Task Force continue to fund the maintenance of haz mat monitors and Class A haz mat suits. A recent training exercise involved the use of a Chlorine “C” kit to mitigate a chlorine leak scenario on a rail car. The exercise involved the planning, response, mitigation, and termination from start to finish.

New Business

Tom Simkins presented the 2018 Knox County Emergency Operations Plan which will soon grow with new annexes required by the state in the areas of Continuity of Governance and Continuity of Operations among others. He also presented the new Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment form which is part of a new requirement, the Illinois Capability and THIRA Tool. 

Julie Corben spoke about the Health Department’s testing of medical counter-measures and discussed the functions of drop sites for receiving medications from the state through the Strategic National Stockpile. The Primary Drop Site is the Fire Department Training Site on Veterans Drive. The Secondary Site is the apparatus bay at Central Fire Station and the Tertiary Site is at the Galesburg Municipal Airport. Julie will be working with the state to certify and test the Tertiary Site on April 26th.

Incidents and Responses

There were 4 reported incidents since the last meeting in October of 2018.

1. On December 2, 2018, a leak of 75 gallons of diesel fuel occurred at the #35 mile marker on I-74 Eastbound south of Woodhull. A semi-tractor and trailer accident resulted in the spill from a saddle tank and diesel leaked in to the ground and adjoining Pope Creek waterway. Division #31 HM team (Galesburg) and Clover Fire PD used booms and berming measures to mitigate the spill on the ground and in the creek. I-74 was closed for two hours. No visible sheen or fish kill was seen in the creek. Sunpro was called in to further remediate the spill.

2. On January 24, 2019, 20-30 gallons of gasoline were spilled at Knoxville Mobile, 319 E Main St in Knoxville. The cause was an unattended fuel pump. Knoxville Fire and MABAS #31 Haz Mat responded and put oil dry absorbent on the spill. Sunpro was called to perform the cleanup.

3. On March 2, 2019, approximately 100 gallons of lube oil leaked from a locomotive into the ground in the BNSF yards south of Galesburg. Cause was a mechanical failure. EWI, the contractor normally employed by BNSF did the cleanup work.

4. On March 29, 2019, approximately 2 gallons of hydraulic fluid leaked into the ground at 3598 Saluda Road in Galesburg (in the BNSF yards). Cause was a minor derailment leading to damage to mechanical piping. BNSF remediated the incident.

Public Comment – no public comment.

Adjournment

It was moved by Mike Howard and seconded by Brian Anderson to adjourn the meeting at 2:42 p.m. The vote was unanimous.

https://www.ci.galesburg.il.us/assets/1/20/04252019_LEPC_Minutes.pdf