Haz-mat help
Local communities across the country face a daunting assignment under Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA)— including the responsibility to prepare or revise emergency plans for responding to hazardous-materials incidents.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation are offering help. They’ve set up a database service for local emergency response officials. Operating on a trial basis until September, it provides a bulletin board and information about training, planning techniques, events and conferences, and management experiences.
During regular business hours, the service is available by calling (800) 7526367, or (800) 367-9592 in Illinois only. Both are toll-free numbers. For computer-and-modem hookups, the number is (312) 972-3275.
In addition, the National Response Team, representing 14 federal agencies that have haz-mat-related responsibilities, has published The Hazardous Materials Planning Guide. It’s aimed at local emergency planning committees with responsibilities under SARA.
The guide is available by writing to Mail Code WH-562A, Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters, 401 M St., S.W., Washington, DC 20460.
