[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 25, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1518-E1519]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COMMENDING THE INDUSTRIAL EMERGENCY COUNCIL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 25, 2006

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the invaluable services 
offered by the Industrial Emergency Council (IEC) in my district. I had 
the great honor recently to meet with this group and I was very 
impressed with their zeal and loyalty to the citizens of California. 
The IEC is a non-profit organization founded by several hardworking and 
dedicated constituents in the 1970s. They provide training and 
assessment programs that help prepare local businesses for emergency 
responses to industrial accidents and natural disasters. In a part of 
the country where earthquakes, flash floods and other disasters often 
have devastating effects, the IEC takes public safety seriously by 
educating at-risk federal, industrial, corporate and academic 
installations about the dangers they confront.
  The Council is comprised of commendable and experienced membership. 
Its founder, James O'Donnell, served as Battalion Chief and Fire 
Marshall of the San Carlos Fire Department and is a leader hazardous 
materials planning. Other members include: John Paine, a consultant to 
the gas industry for over thirty years; Mark Green, the founder of an 
environmental consulting group; Paul Stanley, the facility manager for 
a large bay-area pharmaceutical company; Richard Foster, the former 
city manager for Foster City and Jack Leslie, former Battalion Chief of 
the Palo Alto Fire Department. These career professionals have pooled 
their respective knowledge and experience managing industrial hazards 
and now generously share their expertise on a volunteer basis.
  In response to a variety of client needs, the IEC provides a wide 
array of services. They offer several specially tailored training 
services for employees, ranging from Emergency Medical training to 
Hazardous Materials and Waste operations. They help work with 
industrial facilities to assess the natural and technological risks to 
their operations. In addition, IEC assists clients in the execution of 
comprehensive action plans designed to address identified hazards.
  IEC's vision was best realized in the formation of the San Mateo 
County Hazardous Materials Response Plan. In 1984, the Council 
organized a response unit to classify the actual and potential threats 
in the county. This unparalleled endeavor won national recognition as a 
commendably comprehensive plan, serving 18 separate jurisdictions in 
the state. Even though the industrial emphasis in my district has 
shifted towards biotech and hi-tech industries, the response unit 
remains important in dealing with hazardous materials,
  To adjust to the emerging threats against our homeland security, the 
IEC organized a weapons of mass destruction exercise in early 2005, 
designed for first responders. Over 1000 members of law enforcement, 
fire and public works received vital joint training, which stressed 
information sharing among different personnel. The entire endeavor was 
hugely successful thanks to the unwavering enthusiasm of our dedicated 
public servants at the IEC.

[[Page E1519]]

  I urge my colleagues to join me in commending the praiseworthy 
efforts of my fellow Californians at the Industrial Emergency Council 
who help protect us from the dangers we face every day.

                          ____________________