The role of the Health Department’s Emergency Responders is to determine whether an incident presents a serious threat to public health and/or the environment and, if so, to ensure that mitigation and remediation are conducted in accordance with state and local public health laws and regulations. If the incident is deemed a serious threat, LCDHE will serve as the lead agency for ensuring compliance with applicable state and local public health laws and regulations.
Petroleum or Chemical Spills:
Contact the Health Department if:
- Spill exceeds 5 gallons or has impacted, or has the potential to impact, state waters;
- Spill is impacting air quality;
- Spill is impacting human health;
- Release of an unknown chemical or compound has occurred;
- Assistance is needed for clean-up recommendations, disposal recommendations, or health effect considerations;
- If unsure about the level of response needed.
Examples of other emergency events that may require LCDHE response:
- Suspected disease outbreaks;
- Fires, sewage backups, flooding in food handling establishments or warehouses;
- Evacuation of an institution (hospital, child care center, school, senior living, etc.)
- Natural disasters;
- Terrorist events;
- Significant animal die-offs;
- Sanitary sewer overflows;
- Drug labs;
- Zoonotic (animal and insect-borne disease) events;
- Transportation accidents involving food commodities;
- Actual or potential releases of airborne hazardous materials.
