Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—The Meramec Local Emergency Planning District (MLEPD), working in conjunction with Rolla Fire and Rescue, received a $74,083 grant to purchase oil absorbent pads and booms for all fire departments in the district – Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps and Washington counties. Rolla Fire and Rescue Chief Jeff Breen and former chief Ron Smith worked to pull together the grant application materials, and once funded, purchased and distributed the supplies. Breen also serves as the vice-chairman of the MLEPD.

Booms and pads are deployed to absorb oil during hazardous material spills. They keep chemicals from reaching waterways and environmentally sensitive areas. 

“This is a perfect example of the valued teamwork between the Meramec Local Planning District, the Local Emergency Planning district, State Emergency Management Agency and the Missouri Emergency Response Commission, in efforts to serve the health and wellness of the entire region,” Chief Breen said. “I, also, want to give a special thank you to former chief and mentor Ron Smith for his efforts in the grant application process.”

Local emergency planning districts are voluntary groups tasked with planning for hazardous materials emergencies. Its activities include arranging hazardous materials training for local emergency responders, reviewing and updating the hazardous materials emergency response plan annually, placing ads to make sure the public is aware of what kinds of hazardous materials are in the community, maintaining records of where hazardous materials can be found in the region, what those materials are and making sure local emergency responders are aware of their locations.

Fire departments receiving booms and pads were:

• In Crawford County: Bourbon Fire Protection District, Cuba Fire Protection District, Leasburg Community Volunteer Fire Department, Sullivan Fire Protection District and Steelville Fire Protection District;
• In Dent County: Dent County Fire Protection District, Jadwin Volunteer Fire Department, Lenox Rural Fire Department, Quad County Fire Protection District and Montauk Rural Fire Department;
• In Gasconade County: Bland Fire Protection District, Hermann Volunteer Fire Department, Gerald-Rosebud Fire Protection District, Morrison Volunteer Fire Department and Owensville Volunteer Fire Department;
• In Maries County: Belle Fire Protection District, Vichy Volunteer Fire Protection Association, Dixon Rural Fire Protection District – Brinktown Station and Vienna Fire Protection District;
• In Osage County: Linn Fire Protection District, Meta Fire and Rescue, Argyle Volunteer Fire Department, Freeburg Fire Department, Chamois Fire Protection District and Westphalia Fire Protection District;
• In Phelps County: City of Rolla Fire and Rescue, Doolittle Rural Fire Protection District, Duke Rural Fire Department, Edgar Springs Fire Protection District, Rolla Rural Fire Protection District and St. James Fire Protection District; and
• In Washington County: Belgrade Volunteer Fire Department, Caledonia Fire Protection District, Irondale Fire Protection District, Potosi Fire Protection District and Richwoods Fire Protection District. 

This opportunity was made possible through the State Emergency Management Agency and Missouri Emergency Response Commission and was only open to local emergency planning districts and committees across the state. 

The Meramec LEPD is chaired by Kraig Bone of Washington County and meets quarterly at Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). MRPC provides the day-to-day administration for the MLEPD. 

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Mary Heywood, representing the unemployed, serves as chairman of the board. A professional staff of 33 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

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Cutline: Trailers full of oil absorbent pads and booms were distributed to fire departments across seven counties as a part of a $74,083 grant received by the Meramec Local Emergency Planning District. (Photo: Courtesy of Rolla Fire and Rescue Facebook Page)