Lee credits the 1991 Grand Rapids oil spill with jump-starting the State Spill Bill, which requires businesses to prepare for spills. Lee decided that his team should coach businesses and local governments in incident response. In the past year, the ERT conducted 25 sessions for 16 fire departments along the Mississippi River from the headwaters to the Twin Cities. CAER groups share resources, equipment, expertise and ideas. Transportation-related spills continue at a steady rate and meth lab incidents are way up.
Terrorism is an emerging concern among emergency responders.
The ERT's efforts to stem the tide of spills and accidents may be paying off. It is also reassuring to know, though, that come fire, explosion, oil spill or natural disaster, the MPCA's Kable and his colleagues will roll out of bed and make decisions that matter. For more information about Minnesota, visit the Northstar Web site.