LEPC holds tabletop exercises to discuss safety and communication in the community

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ.)

The Boone County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) hosted a panel discussion and tabletop exercise to discuss a hazardous spill along the Route B corridor in Columbia.

The tabletop exercise was a discussion-based session where team members met in an informal classroom. During the meeting, each person discussed their roles during an emergency situation.

The initial invitation was offered to anyone in Boone County who may be interested in safety personnel, site managers, or personnel who handle or store hazardous materials.

During the morning panel discussion, the group discussed ways they can improve communication within the community. This led to a conversation about two informative apps are known as Rave Alert and Smart911. Both apps help the community plan ahead and receive updates about emergencies happening in their area.

"If there's a traffic accident... if there are road closures.. for whatever reason you'll get a notice in your phone within Boone County, that that's going on," Matthew Brown, training and exercise specialist for Boone County, said.

Sara Martin, vice-chair for Boone County Local Emergency Planning Committee, says that having these panel discussions really helped build relationships with not only the community but different businesses.

"So building the relationships with our emergency responders and other businesses that are either neighboring or in our route b corridor...that helps us prepare a little better as a business... but then it also allows us to understand what all might be in those areas as a community member," Martin said.

During the afternoon tabletop discussion, the panel role-played a hazardous spill along the Route B connector. Group members were given a series of questions that asked how they would respond if there were chemicals released in the county.

Boone County's local emergency planning committee chair, Peter Martin told ABC 17 that there are actually many areas in Boone County that raise concerns but Martin says when a situation such as a hazardous spill on the Route B connector happens, it's important that communication is secure with other businesses that work closely with him.

"We have realized that there's a communication background. So if we do have a leak or even an accident on the highway. Were realizing that maybe the communication part needs to be added to our EF 10 plan or figure other ways out of how the LEPC can benefit the community by putting something in place that everybody is aware of," Peter Martin said.

To learn more information about the Rave app, click here, and for more information about the Smart911 app, click here.