cobb county resource council, inc. dedicated to hazardous materials safety in cobb county, georgia

Cobb County Cobb County Resource Resource

Council, Inc.Council, Inc.Dedicated to Hazardous Dedicated to Hazardous Materials Safety in Cobb Materials Safety in Cobb

County, GeorgiaCounty, Georgia

Could This Happen In Cobb Could This Happen In Cobb County?County?

““Hecht said Chatham County industries Hecht said Chatham County industries didn’t cooperate much in helping fight didn’t cooperate much in helping fight the fire. The Savannah Fire Department the fire. The Savannah Fire Department ran out of firefighting foam and had to ran out of firefighting foam and had to go out of state for refills. After the fire go out of state for refills. After the fire was out, some Savannah area industries was out, some Savannah area industries came forward to say they had foam.”came forward to say they had foam.”

Randy Hecht of the Chatham Emergency Randy Hecht of the Chatham Emergency Management Agency as quoted in a October 17, Management Agency as quoted in a October 17, 1996 Atlanta Journal/Constitution article on the 1996 Atlanta Journal/Constitution article on the April 1995 Powell Duffryn Terminal Fire in April 1995 Powell Duffryn Terminal Fire in Savannah, Georgia.Savannah, Georgia.

Questions to Consider Questions to Consider

Do you know… What sort of hazardous materials your

neighboring facilities have or produce? What sort of emergency response capabilities

your neighbors have? If your neighbor would let you borrow

emergency response equipment or supplies if you had an emergency?

What the capabilities of the local professional Hazardous Materials Response Teams are?

If the local professional responders know what your emergency response capabilities are?

Who We AreWho We Are

The Cobb County Resource Council, Inc. is The Cobb County Resource Council, Inc. is a non-profit membership corporation, a non-profit membership corporation, designed to assist you in answering these designed to assist you in answering these questions and to develop a network for questions and to develop a network for sharing of information and response sharing of information and response supplies among Cobb County private supplies among Cobb County private industries, government facilities, industries, government facilities, emergency response organizations and any emergency response organizations and any other facilities or organizations in Cobb other facilities or organizations in Cobb County with an interest in Hazardous County with an interest in Hazardous Materials Safety.Materials Safety.

If You Answered “No” To If You Answered “No” To Any Of The Questions, Any Of The Questions,

Then…Then… A voluntary group where members A voluntary group where members

agree to assist each other in agree to assist each other in emergencies through loan of emergencies through loan of supplies and/or equipment.supplies and/or equipment.

A group is formed with a A group is formed with a membership agreement that limits membership agreement that limits liabilities, provides for supply liabilities, provides for supply reimbursement, etc.reimbursement, etc.

Cobb County Emergency Response Cobb County Emergency Response organizations are also involved with organizations are also involved with the group.the group.

How It Works How It Works Members prepare inventories of emergency Members prepare inventories of emergency

response supplies/equipment they would be response supplies/equipment they would be willing to loan to others in an emergency.willing to loan to others in an emergency.

A pre-signed agreement (membership A pre-signed agreement (membership agreement) spells out how companies must agreement) spells out how companies must reimburse each other for loaned/borrowed reimburse each other for loaned/borrowed equipment/supplies and provides liability equipment/supplies and provides liability protections to the providing member.protections to the providing member.

Each member receives the inventory of all Each member receives the inventory of all other members along with contact names, other members along with contact names, numbers, etc.numbers, etc.

Periodic meetings are held to exchange Periodic meetings are held to exchange ideas/information.ideas/information.

ExampleExample

Company A has a chemical spill that is Company A has a chemical spill that is not serious enough to call in the not serious enough to call in the county Hazardous Materials Response county Hazardous Materials Response Team.Team.

As Company A is cleaning up the spill, As Company A is cleaning up the spill, they run out of absorbent pads. They they run out of absorbent pads. They refer to their membership inventory refer to their membership inventory book and see that Company B book and see that Company B maintains an inventory of absorbent maintains an inventory of absorbent pads.pads.

Example Example (cont.)(cont.)

Company A contacts Company B to obtain Company A contacts Company B to obtain more absorbent pads. This will likely take more absorbent pads. This will likely take less time than having to order absorbents less time than having to order absorbents through a supply house, enabling Company through a supply house, enabling Company A to complete the clean-up of their spill A to complete the clean-up of their spill faster.faster.

Because of the pre-existing membership Because of the pre-existing membership agreement, Company B knows that Company agreement, Company B knows that Company A will reimburse them in a timely fashion.A will reimburse them in a timely fashion.

Where Did The Idea Come Where Did The Idea Come From?From?

The Ashland Oil late 80’s major spill The Ashland Oil late 80’s major spill into the river near Pittsburgh into the river near Pittsburgh resulted in Congress passing a new resulted in Congress passing a new law, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.law, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

This law required facilities that This law required facilities that transfer petroleum products on or transfer petroleum products on or near water to prepare response near water to prepare response plans and certify that they have plans and certify that they have response equipment and capabilities response equipment and capabilities to handle their worst potential spill.to handle their worst potential spill.

Where Did The Idea Come Where Did The Idea Come From?From?

Not many companies had or wanted to have Not many companies had or wanted to have and maintain all of the equipment necessary and maintain all of the equipment necessary to handle a major spill, so Cooperative to handle a major spill, so Cooperative Response Groups among industries were Response Groups among industries were established in numerous places, particularly established in numerous places, particularly along the Ohio Riveralong the Ohio River..

The membership agreement and information The membership agreement and information from one of these cooperative response from one of these cooperative response groups (Three Rivers Pollution Response groups (Three Rivers Pollution Response Council, Inc., Imperial, Pennsylvania) was Council, Inc., Imperial, Pennsylvania) was used as the starting point for developing the used as the starting point for developing the ideas for a resource council in Fayette ideas for a resource council in Fayette County, Georgia. We have used the Fayette County, Georgia. We have used the Fayette County work as our starting point. County work as our starting point.

BenefitsBenefits Establishes a network among local industry Establishes a network among local industry

and local emergency responders.and local emergency responders. For little cost, provides the potential for a For little cost, provides the potential for a

significant amount of resources if needed in significant amount of resources if needed in an emergency.an emergency.

Provides an organizational structure that is Provides an organizational structure that is ideal for information sharing, joint drills, etc.ideal for information sharing, joint drills, etc.

Is a positive step for industry in terms of Is a positive step for industry in terms of public relations.public relations.

Having such a group in place should be of Having such a group in place should be of benefit as industries finalize their Risk benefit as industries finalize their Risk Management Plans as required by the EPA Management Plans as required by the EPA Accidental Release Rules Accidental Release Rules [i.e. 112 (r)].[i.e. 112 (r)].

Cobb County Resource Cobb County Resource Council, Inc.Council, Inc.

A legal non-profit A legal non-profit membership corporation membership corporation

incorporated in Georgia in incorporated in Georgia in 19981998


Two membership levelsTwo membership levels Regular – This level has full voting rights in

the organization and representatives may be officers. (Facilities or organizations with significant hazardous materials or response capabilities or significant interest in the management of the Council).

Associate – This membership level does not have voting rights. (Facilities or organizations without significant hazardous materials but with an interest in Hazardous Materials Safety).


Structure Group headed by a five member Board of

Directors (chosen by the membership). Council has four elected officers

(Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer).

Council holds quarterly meetings. Decisions made by a majority (51% or

greater) vote of a quorum of members at scheduled meetings.


Membership Requirements A facility or organization with interests in

Cobb County. Sign a copy of the Resource Council

Agreement (which provides for the liability protections and cost recovery agreements the Council offers.)

Payment of the annual membership fee $500 for regular members $250 for associate members

Pays for the administrative expenses of the Council (copying, postage, legal fees etc.)

Provides a source of funding for local member emergency response organizations (upon decision/vote of membership)

Provides funding for sponsorship of joint training/drills.

The Next StepThe Next Step

Review the proposed Council Review the proposed Council Agreement and discuss with your Agreement and discuss with your management.management.

Let us know if your company is Let us know if your company is interested.interested.

The Council is only as good as its The Council is only as good as its membership. We hope you will membership. We hope you will

consider joining!consider joining!

For Additional For Additional InformationInformation

Council Officers – Chairperson – Mike Flowers, Cobb County

Fire & Emergency Services, (770) 528-8186 Vice-Chairperson – Richard Cunningham,

Brenntag, (678) 699-1031 Secretary – Cindy Garrett, Cobb County Fire

& Emergency Services, (770) 528-8186 Treasurer – Jim Parsons, Cobb County-

Marietta Water Authority, (770) 426-8788 Member at Large – Kelly Caldwell, Marietta

Fire Department , (770) 794-5484

cobb county resource council, inc. dedicated to hazardous materials safety in cobb county, georgia

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