PLANNING EFFECTIVENESS - EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY-PLANNING FOR TOXIC-CHEMICAL EMERGENCIES

Recent studies have shown substantial variation within and between sta tes in the levels of local planning for hazardous materials emergencie s. To explain these variations, literature on strategic planning, disa ster planning and team effectiveness was used to construct a model of Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) effectiveness in developing emergency plans. Data from Michigan LEPCs showed that emergency planni ng outcomes (e.g., quality and degree of completion of critical planni ng tasks and submission of plans for approval) were correlated with in ternal factors such as member inputs, staffing and structure, and emer gency planning resources. External factors such as community support a nd recent hazard experience also affect success, possibly by endowing emergency planning with importance for LEPC members either directly (e .g., recent evacuation experience) or indirectly (community support ar ising from the high priority given emergency plans by others). These r esults suggest that community planners should take such strategic acti ons as developing community support and redesigning the LEPC's structu re to be more effective in preparing for hazardous materials emergenci es.