The Oakland County LEPC and the Oakland County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department would like to congratulate Gregg Newsom, Retired Training Director, Operating Engineers Local 324, for being the recipient of the 2012 Frank Wilke LEPC Excellence Award for recognition in community preparedness and continued support of the Oakland County LEPC. The award was presented at the May 18, 2012, LEPC meeting. Gregg has been a member of the LEPC for 15 years and was instrumental in training hundreds of local first responders in urban search and rescue techniques. Congratulations Gregg!!
Frank Wilke was one of the original LEPC members who passed away in 2006. He worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of the first responder police, fire and EMS community, provide guidance to help protect the environment and led a mission to provide community right-to-know information regarding hazardous substances in the community to the citizens of Oakland County, In 2007, the LEPC's 20th year anniversary, the LEPC voted to memorialize Mr. Wilke with an award in his honor.
Pictured left to right: John Reardon, former LEPC Chair; Gregg Newsom, Retired from Operating Engineers Local 324 and LEPC Member; David Pegg, Retired from Detroit Fire Department and LEPC Member; Randy Wyatt, Auburn Hills Fire Department.
Previous Frank Wilke LEPC Excellence Award Recipients
2011 - Gage Products Company, Ferndale, Michigan. Gage Products Company has provided technical support and guidance to the LEPC since its inception in 1987. To further strengthen community response efforts, they purchased two fire extinguishing foam trailers that are available to first responders through mutual aid agreements with Ferndale Fire.
2010 - Michael Kish, Fire Inspector with the Farmington Hills Fire Department. Inspector Kish was instrumental in developing and coordinating a domestic preparedness exercise one month prior to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. He has provided guidance and has been a valuable resource to the LEPC, Oakland County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department and hazardous materials facilities in Oakland County.
2009 - Magdy Talaat, Vice President, LymTal International, Inc. for opening up his facility to the LEPC and volunteering to participate in an EPA Region V Risk Management Plan exercise.
2008 - Professor Paul Tomboulian, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Emeritus of Chemistry, Oakland University. Professor Tomboulian has been a member of the LEPC since its inception in 1987 and has been invaluable with assisting staff with developing vulnerability data.
2007 - General Motors Corporation for recognition in community preparedness and continued support of the Oakland County LEPC. Their contributions include providing interns to assist with chemical dispersion modeling and hazmat planning, hosting numerous meetings and printing materials for first responders.
