SPRINGFIELD, — A new Illinois law sponsored by Sycamore State Representative Jeff Keicher went into effect this year to provide schools with guidance for handling hazardous material spills. The legislation was prompted by a chemical spill near a school in Ohio that revealed confusion among school staff about whether to evacuate, lock down, or shut off building systems. Keicher said the law will help ensure schools and students are better prepared for rare but potentially dangerous incidents.
“ So we’ve got a bill that all it does is it asks school districts to make sure that they incorporate hazardous chemical or dispersals in their emergency planning. It arises out of the Palatine, Ohio train derailment where the school district, you know, they’re ready for weather and evacuation, but when there’s chemicals out in the air, they didn’t really know what to do right away.”
The law directs the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Office of Homeland Security to develop guidance for Illinois schools to include in their emergency and disaster plans in the event of a chemical spill or explosion nearby.