The emergency plan formatted by the Local Emergency Planning Committee, or LEPC, was presented to the Marshall County Commissioners for approval Monday morning.
LEPC President Gene Gray told the commissioners that the plan is in line with the county emergency plan so it will not confuse emergency responders. There are maps and site plans within the emergency plan for 85 county facilities.
Gray posed the question as to how the county will enforce this plan.
“The LEPC put on exercises last year and this year and the purpose of the exercises is to test the plan. There’s not a single responder in Marshall County that knows the plan. After each exercise, the conclusion was that they need to read the plan, learn the plan, practice the plan, test the plan and they have done none of that. Essentially, the first responders consider that a worthless piece of paper, so it seems,” said Gray.
EMA Director Clyde Avery has also expressed concerns about everyone being on board to work together.
Gray said the LEPC spent $6,000 in 2013 to put on a program for emergency preparedness and $10,000 in 2014 for training.
“It’s money down the drain. There’s no sense in us spending that kind of money when it doesn’t do any good.”
The commissioners approved the LEPC’s plan as presented.
