Page 28 - OHS, April 2021

FIRE SAFETY
Building Bridges Between Safety Professionals and First Responders
Safety professionals must build relationships with those in the public safety sector before an event occurs.
BY AARON RHONE
Many occupational health and safety professionals may be familiar with the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) that establishes local emergency planning committees (LEPC) for the safety
of a community as it relates to chemicals.1 Some communities may not extend this information to its first responders.
The key foundation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act is for elected officials, public safety professionals, environmental, transportation and hospital officials, facility representatives, community groups and the media to form a local emergency planning committee. Local emergency planning committees are further charged with developing emergency
response plans that provide information to its community regarding the chemicals they may be exposed to.
On Jan. 20, 2020, the United States confirmed its first case
2
of 2019-nCoV, more commonly referred to as COVID-19. This
event quickly changed the world we know as safety professionals. A quick Google search shows many articles about the recent surge in exposures and organizations who have adjusted their business models to allow for telework.3 Nationally, some governments have shuttered their facilities to the public while many industries and critical infrastructure continue their daily operations. In some cases, the displacement of our workforce has increased the volume of volunteer public safety professionals,
24 Occupational Health & Safety | APRIL 2021
www.ohsonline.com
MJgraphics/Shutterstock.com