When it began

in 1985, the Fayette County Local Emergency Planning Committee was mainly

focused on identifying trouble areas in the county where a chemical release

could cause a potential disaster.

But over the

past four years, that scope has changed to the prevention of such accidents,

said LEPC chairman Pete Nelms.

Since there

has been only one reported chemical spill so far this year compared to

six in 1996 the focus on prevention seems to be working, Nelms added.

"That

tells us our mitigation program is starting to take hold," Nelms

said. He is quick to add that the success of the LEPC depends heavily

on the input from the local industries.

"It's

the industries that really drive this," Nelms said. "They know

their plan and procedures far better than we do."

Kent Howell

of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division said Fayette County's

LEPC is the most productive LEPC in the state.

"They

have done a lot of very effective and innovative things that have advanced

the public safety of the county," Howell said.

With the industries

and emergency agencies teaming up, the LEPC has been able to accomplish

several major projects to enhance safety planning. The LEPC designed a

computer program that allows industries to evaluate their own emergency

preparedness. That initiative was cited by the federal government as a

good way to help industries plan for potential emergencies, Nelms said.

Also thanks

to the LEPC, hazardous materials crews have access to a laptop computer

that lists the types of chemicals and where they're stored at each site.

That gives them critical information that's needed quickly when responding

to a chemical release, Nelms added.

The LEPC also

is compiling a plan to respond to potential chemical releases on the CSX

railroad line that goes through Peachtree City, Tyrone and a part of unincorporated

Fayette County.

The First Call

automatic phone system that sends emergency messages to residences in

a particular area was also funded by the LEPC.

A recent $13,000

grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will allow a local

industry to train its employees and hazardous materials crews from local

emergency agencies on how to handle a particular chemical, Nelms said.

And through

the LEPC's Resource Council, local emergency agencies have access to equipment

and other materials they might need to clean up a chemical spill, Nelms

said. That way, one quick phone call could provide equipment that it might

take several hours to acquire through a private contractor, he said.

"First,

that gives us the chance to get the equipment at a moment's notice,"

Nelms said. "And second, it saves a tremendous amount of money."

The Resource

Council is a subsidiary of the LEPC which approves how the LEPC member

fees will be spent, Nelms said. All industries and municipalities pay

the member fees and help decide how to best spend the funds for safety

equipment and training, Nelms added.

Over the last

five years, the LEPC's Resource Council has spent over $70,000 on equipment

and training to benefit public safety, Nelms said.

Some industries,

like NCR, take the lead by helping other industries with their emergency

planning, Nelms said.

The LEPC is

also supported by the various development authorities in the county, Nelms

added.

"A lot

of these programs we wouldn't be able to do without them," Nelms

said.

Fayette Community

Hospital also has become more involved with the LEPC recently, Nelms added.

Although membership

on the LEPC is mostly relegated to industries and emergency agencies,

members of the public are allowed to participate also, he said.

"We're

all after a safe community and a safe place to live and work," Nelms

said.

Though there

are other LEPCs in the state, they are not required to be used by counties,

Nelms said.

"It's

rare in this county to have one of those events, nevertheless the potential

is there and our job is to prepare for it effectively and efficiently,"

Nelms said.