The Wood County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) held a "Tabletop Exercise" at the North Baltimore High School Auditorium, on May 5th. A table top exercise is a "verbal" walk through or discussion of the response procedures. It is designed to evaluate plans and resolve questions of coordination and roles within a hazardous material response. The exercise will assist first responders and their respective agencies in evaluating their planning and training needs to better prepare for their response and mitigation of such incidents. This is in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, which states that the LEPC shall conduct an exercise of its plan annually.


Many local, county, state and federal agencies were represented, including: Ohio EPA, Perrysburg Fire, Wood County Health District, Wood County Hostpital, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, North Baltimore, Fire, EMS and Police, Wood County Sheriff, Wood County Communication, Ohio Department of Transportation, CSX Railroad Public Safety & Environment, The U. S. Army and several other offices, agencies and interested parties were invited.


Some of the assembled group. A tank care diagram was used in the exercise.


An overhead drawing was also used in evaluating emergency response scenarios at the CSX Intermodal Yard west of North Baltimore.