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& Current News:
Thanks for visiting the Honolulu LEPC website. We will continue to refine the contents of this page and will make changes and additions periodically. Please provide any comments and recommendations you have about this site to the LEPC webmaster. Mahalo for your interest.
LEPC GOALS
The Honolulu LEPC will focus on the following areas in 2009:
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- Pipeline Safety oversight
- Hot asphalt spills on highways
- Ethanol fuels
NEW LEPC MEMBER
The Gas Company is now a voting member of the Honolulu LEPC. The Hawaii State Emergency Response Commission (HSERC) at its meeting on December 18, 2008 voted to accept Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hanneman's nomination of the Gas Company to the Honolulu LEPC. The Gas Company has long been active in LEPC activities and meetings, and is now welcomed as a formal voting member. |
TRAINING ACTIVITIES
The Honolulu LEPC has been involved in a number of training workshops and activities over the past year. LEPC reps participated in the Continuing Challenge Hazardous Materials Workshop held in Sacramento, California, the Hot Zone Conference in Houston, Texas, the HazMat Explo in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials (NASTTPO) & the Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Grants Conference.
LEPC members participated in the 2008 NASTTPO & HMEP Grants Conference held in Savannah Georgia during April 7-11, 2008. We were updated on transportation, environmental and homeland security programs, and learned what other States, Tribes and localities were doing. States were informed of the HMEP grant awards for FY09 which reflect substantial increases over previous year grants. The increased award will allow the State to enhance Hazmat Tech training opportunities.
We also participated in the Hazmat Explo in Las Vegas, NV in November 2008. The EPA Region IX and the NASTTPO Mid-Year Conferences were jointly held at the Hazmat Explo. We gained valuable information on national and regional programs, and took advantage of the opportunity to network with our mainland colleagues.
Eleven members of the Honolulu Fire Department attended the 2008 Continuing Challenge Hazmat Workshop in Sacramento, CA, held September 2-5, 2008. We've managed to send LEPC members to this workshop for the past 9 years, and it continues to provide a great opportunity to keep our hazmat personnel up to date on the latest developments in the field. The Campbell Local Emergency Action Network(C.L.E.A.N.) (see profile below) provided an $8,000 grant for a fifth year to cover the expenses of 5 of the 11 HFD personnnel to attend this year's Continuing Challenge Hazmat Workshop. HFD Captain Sonny Maguire served on the Continuing Challenge planning committee, and was the Master of Ceremonies for the workshop. C.L.E.A.N. also sponsored Captain Maguire's travel expenses to plan this year's workshop. C.L.E.A.N.'s generous grant allowed our hazmat personnel to attend the workshop to gain the latest information in hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction, view the latest technology, meet with vendors and subject matter experts, and network with other hazardous materials technicians. Our HFD team also placed 2nd in the Hazmat Olympics this year, and has set a goal of 1st place for 2009 Hazmat Olympics.
Members of the Honolulu Fire Department and the Honolulu LEPC participated in Beginning and WMD Cameo Courses presented by Louisiana State University during November 18-26, 2008. Instructors Tom Bergman and Bob Bradley did a superb job in presenting these courses. The new Marplot was used in the classes and attendees used actual Oahu facility data and USGS map and aerial photography for Oahu, which greatly enhanced the relevance of the training. We plan to schedule another Beginning Cameo course and an Advanced Cameo course during 2009.
LEPC PLAN UPDATE
We've completed nine projects to assess chemical hazards on the island of Oahu over the past years under the Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grants Program.
A hazard assessment for facilities on the island of Oahu that report Chlorine and Anhydrous Ammonia under EPCRA was completed in 2002 and updated in 2006. Our 2003 project focused on facilities in the vicinity of Honolulu Harbor that store or use chemicals that may have an offsite impact due to spill, fire or explosion. This project was also updated in 2006. Our 2004 project focused on the Honolulu International Airport and surrounding industrial areas. Our 2005 project studied the Pearl City Industrial Park & Waipio Gentry Business Park. The 2006 project assessed facilities in the Kakaako & Waikiki areas. Our 2007 project studied the windward Oahu communities of Kailua and Kaneohe, and the Waipahu area was the subject of our 2008 study.
These projects were prepared utilizing Risk Management Program guidelines to assess off-site consequences of a release, and are fully integrated into Cameo, Marplot and Aloha. In this year's Waipahu Project, we used aerial photography to enhance the maps of the area. We also plan to integrate study data into the City's Geographical Informations System.
The Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan, which is Appendix 5 of Annex T of the City & County Emergency Operations Plan was completed and recently published. The Plan and reporting facilities are available for viewing at the Department of Emergency Management. Interested parties should call 723-8958 to schedule an appointment.
ELECTRONIC TIER II SUBMISSION AND CAMEO.
The State of Hawaii is currently in the sixth year of utilizing Tier II Submit electronic submissions from reporting facilities. The State maintains a central data base and provides the data to each county for import into Cameo. The Honolulu LEPC worked with the HSERC to establish data entry standards and helped establish the intial database for Oahu facilities. This system standardizes reporting facility data statewide and eliminates duplicate data entry from several sources. Facility data for the City & County of Honolulu have been imported into Cameo and plotted on Marplot by the LEPC, and subsequently exported to the Honolulu Fire Department.
The Honolulu LEPC advocates the adoption of a web-based, real time Tier II reporting system and will be working with the State to establish such a system in the future.
HSERC INITIATIVES
The four county LEPCs sent a letter to the HSERC last year outlining a number of issues and areas of concern, and recommended that Administrative Rules be developed for HEPCRA. After some study, the HSERC decided that HEPCRA should be amended along with rule making to address implementation and enforcement issues. Act 87, an amendment to HEPCRA that clarifies reporting requirements for hazardous substances and extremely hazardous substances was passed by the 2008 Legislature. A draft Hawaii Administrative Rules to HEPCRA is currently being reviewed, and implementation is expected in early 2009. You can view a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking describing the process. The Honolulu LEPC is participating in this rulemaking process.
The HSERC is also looking into establishing procedures to identify new businesses that fall under the provisions of HEPCRA and bring them into compliance as they begin operating in Hawaii. The Honolulu LEPC will also be assisting with these efforts.
FIRE PAL SOFTWARE PROGRAM - "STOP, LEAVE IT ALONE, GET A GROWN-UP"
The Honolulu LEPC recently purchased the copyright for the Fire Pal software "Stop, Leave It Alone, Get A Grown-Up" on behalf of the Hawaii State Emergency Response Commission. This interactive learning tool for Hazardous Materials in the home, school, and workplace is intended to familiarize children in grades 1-3 with the hazards posed by these materials. Lesson plans are available for teachers and parents, and there is a certificate for kids completing the program. You can view various screens below.
Main Screen Kids Welcome Kitchen Scene Parents/Teachers
The LEPC in partnership with the Campbell Local Emergency Action Network will be distributing over 5,000 copies of Fire Pal to local schools this Fall. Copies of the Fire Pal CD will also be distributed by the HFD to all elementary schools on Oahu during Fire Prevention Week in October 2007. Pictured in this photo are HFD Captain Chris Toda, C.L.E.A.N. President Annie Lam, and LEPC Coordinator Leland Nakai at a Fire Pal meeting.
CAMPBELL LOCAL EMERGENCY ACTION NETWORK (C.L.E.A.N.)
C.L.E.A.N. was formed in early 1996 to analyze potential vulnerabilities, determine emergency planning requirements, and address public safety and health for Campbell Industrial Park (CIP) businesses and their neighboring communities. C.L.E.A.N. is a non-profit organization whose membership includes residents from neighboring communities, CIP businesses and government agencies. Members from the Honolulu LEPC are included in C.L.E.A.N. and have been closely involved and associated with it since its inception. Click here to view a profile of C.L.E.A.N.
C.L.E.A.N. publishes an Emergency Resources Guide for CIP and distributes over 300 copies to CIP businesses, government agencies and local groups every year. This guide serves as a supplement to the Honolulu LEPC's Hazardous Materials Response Plan for the CIP area. You may view the 2006 CLEAN Resources Guide here. You can also download a zipped copy of the Emergency Resources Guide PDF File here (5.8 MB ZIP). You will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view either file.
You may obtain your free copy from Adobe Systems, Incorporated. Acrobat and the Acrobat logo are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
 Download the Acrobat Reader.
C.L.E.A.N. conducted a hazardous materials Table Top exercise in 1997, a Hurricane exercise in May 2000, and several emergency planning workshops for CIP businesses since then. C.L.E.A.N. has purchased over 500 Emergency Alert Sentinel radios for CIP businesses and neighboring communities, and helped finance a local warning siren to further enhance the area warning and notification system. C.L.E.A.N. also assisted the State Department of Education in upgrading Shelter- in-Place and warning and notification capabilities for CIP area schools, and has sponsored the distribution of the Fire Pal software program in Kapolei area schools in partnership with the Honolulu LEPC.
C.L.E.A.N. hosted a seminar given by EPA on electronic Tier II filing in January 2007. Janice Witul from EPA Region IX, and representatives from the State Department of Health, Honolulu Fire Department, and the Honolulu LEPC discussed their roles in the program. Representatives from businesses on Oahu, Maui and the island of Hawaii attended this event. You can view photos of this seminar below:
CLEAN Seminar Photo 1 CLEAN Seminar Photo 2 CLEAN Seminar Photo 3
Other current projects are the development of an evacuation plan for CIP, assisting local fire station 40 with their resource requirements, and hosting an Emergency Preparedness Seminar in 2009. C.L.E.A.N. has recently developed its own website which can be viewed at http://www.cleanhawaii.org.
C.L.E.A.N. provided an $8,000 grant to the Honolulu LEPC for a fifth year to send 5 Honolulu Fire Department Hazmat personnel to the 2008 Continuing Challenge Hazmat Workshop, held in Sacramento, California in September 2008, and two HFD personnel to the Hotzone Conference in Houston, TX during October 2008.
C.L.E.A.N. celebrated its 10th anniversary on September 21, 2006. This anniversary celebration was held at the Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, and honored representatives from business, government and the community who have played key roles in C.L.E.A.N.'s many accomplishments since its formation.
C.L.E.A.N. has been an important partner of the Honolulu LEPC and has done invaluable work to enhance the preparedness of CIP businesses and the surrounding community. The Honolulu LEPC has enjoyed an extremely valuable relationship with C.L.E.A.N. since its inception, and will continue working with C.L.E.A.N. to enhance warning and notification systems and emergency response procedures for the Campbell Industrial Park area.
DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS - WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
The City and County of Honolulu is one of the original 27 cities involved in the Domestic Preparedness Program mandated by the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici Act of 1996. The City and County of Honolulu has formed a Metropolitan Medical Response System, capable of responding to terrorist incidents involving the use of Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical (NBC) weapons of mass destruction.
In 1998, the Department of Defense provided training for weapons of mass destruction preparedness to personnel from City and State agencies and from local industry. The DOD also conducted a biological table top exercise and a full scale chemical field exercise on Oahu in 1999. The City and County of Honolulu has received millions of dollars in federal grants and in-kind equipment to date to upgrade our readiness posture.
Honolulu is in a heightened alert posture since the events of September 11, 2001. Response, detection and analysis procedures for bioterrorism events have been refined; WMD training and exercises have been conducted and more are scheduled this year; and we have re-modeled our City Emergency Operating Center and implemented the use of the E Team emergency management software.
The State has adopted a Hawaii Homeland Security Advisory System which follows the National System, but adds a Condition Black when a terrorist incident has occurred in the State of Hawaii. You can view a brochure describing the Hawaii Homeland Security Advisory System along with recommended preparedness actions and activities for the different conditions at the following site:
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