Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—The Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee (MREPC) approved a grant funding request to the Missouri Emergency Response Commission (MERC),which the committee hopes will provide hazardous materials trainings to emergency responders throughout the region.

These trainings help firefighters, police and other emergency personnel learn how to safely handle hazardous materials in a variety of scenarios from methamphetamine lab cleanups to fires and chemical spills.

Prior to approving the grant requests, MREPC members asked area emergency response agencies to complete a survey so the committee could better understand the training needs throughout the region. New applications restrict class requests to three per county. A total of 10 agencies responded, requesting 21 classes to be held. Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) staff may assist in coordinating classes for emergency personnel between agencies and counties that are geographically near one another.

MREPC plans to hold its next meeting March 26 at MRPC, located at 4 Industrial Dr. in St. James. The MREPC works with local governments as well as the private sector to maintain plans responsive to chemical hazards, which seriously threaten the area. The committee periodically coordinates and offers training opportunities for emergency responders in the region. Quarterly meetings are open to the public. MRPC, a voluntary council of local governments serving the eight-county Meramec Region, provides staff support for the local emergency planning committee.

For more information on MREPC, contact Tammy Snodgrass at 573-265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 24, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion.