MRPC News Release
Feb. 16, 2006
For immediate release
For more information, contact:
Tammy Snodgrass or Bonnie J. Prigge, (573) 265-2993
REGIONAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE
AWARDS FIRE DEPARTMENT TRAINING GRANTS
ST. JAMES—The Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee has awarded training grants to four fire departments, and have approved two more, pending additional information, announced Dawn Warren, MREPC chairman.
Approved for training grants were:
• Cuba Fire Department for a foam class; Grant award of $1,000;
• Gerald-Rosebud Fire Protection District for a propane class; Grant award of $1,000;
• Meta Fire and Rescue for a propane class: Grant award of $1,000; and
• Vichy Volunteer Fire Department for a bobtail propane class; Grant award of $1,000.
The MREPC tentatively approved grants for the Potosi Fire Protection District and the Dent County Fire Protection District, pending additional information.
The MREPC has set aside $7,000 and is offering grants to fire departments in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Osage and Washington counties. The maximum grant request was set at $1,000. A total of seven grants were submitted. Only fire departments were eligible to apply, and they were encouraged to develop countywide training opportunities involving all emergency response agencies, explained Tammy Snodgrass, environmental programs manager for Meramec Regional Planning Commission.
In other business, the MREPC board, during its Jan. 18 meeting,
• Heard a presentation by Charles Pedersen of the US Geological Survey in Rolla on Global Mapper, a geo-spatial mapping software developed by USGS that is useful to emergency responders. The Global Mapper software is available on-line at www.globalmapper.com.
• Heard a report from Ray Wadley of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, on the department’s program to train counties on agri-terrorism concerns. The MREPC will be coordinating an agri-terrorism training in Phelps County, primarily for farmers, ag industries and others, to help them understand and be aware of potential terrorism acts via livestock and crops; and
• Approved a revised budget for the MREPC, due to additional interest income and the planned grants that were not previously included in the budget.
The Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee periodically coordinates and offers education and training opportunities for emergency responders in the region. The purpose of the committee is to work with local governments as well as the private sector to maintain plans responsive to chemical hazards, which seriously threaten the area. Dawn Warren, Gasconade County Emergency Management Director, chairs the group. The committee meets quarterly, and meetings are open to the public.
The next meeting is planned April 12 at MRPC. Persons needing more information about the MREPC or chemicals in the region may contact Meramec Regional Planning Commission at (573) 265-2993. The planning commission, a voluntary council of local governments serving the Meramec Region, provides staff support for the local emergency planning committee.