Mission of the Office of Emergency Response
Protect the health and safety of the citizens of Illinois during emergency incidents involving the
release of oil, hazardous materials or other contaminants, while stabilizing, minimizing or eliminating
the environmental consequences to the land, air or waters of the state.
Emergency Operations Unit (EOU)
The Emergency Operations Unit, within OER, coordinates Illinois EPA’s response to environmental
emergencies involving oil or hazardous materials and ensures that any environmental contamination is
cleaned up. EOU works with other response agencies including the Illinois Emergency Management Agency
(IEMA), which is the initial contact for responses to an emergency or disaster in Illinois.
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Emergency Operations Unit
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the responsibilities of EOU?
OER responsibilities include:
- Oil and hazardous material spills in water or on land
- Releases of harmful
quantities of toxic substances into the air
- Emergencies involving wastewater
treatment systems and public water supplies
- Emergencies involving solid
waste disposal sites
- Fish kills caused by pollutants
- Abandoned hazardous waste incidents posing
immediate hazards
- Illegal burning of waste
Where are EOU personnel?
Most of the Emergency Operations Unit personnel are located
in the Springfield IEPA Headquarters, but there are additional
staff in the Collinsville and DesPlaines Regional Offices.
Most EOU staff can be reached at the Agency headquarters
in Springfield (217/782-3637). There are also full-time response
staff in the Des Plaines (800/759-7626) and Collinsville (618/346-5120)
regional offices. During evenings, weekends and holidays,
a 24-hour Duty Officer may be reached at (phone number?)
What assistance is available?
The Emergency Operations Unit provides many services to
other Agencies and the public.
The Emergency Operation Unit may provide assistance in
the form of:
- Technical information about identification, chemical
properties, toxicity and potential dangers of a given hazardous
material
- Monitoring or testing of air, water, soil or containers
- Advice about:
- Containment of hazardous materials
- Restoration of the environment, including cleanup objectives
- Evacuation recommendations
- Disposal or treatment of hazardous materials
- Oversight to assure completeness of cleanup actions taken
by responsible parties
- Documenting violations of the Illinois Environmental
Protection Act for possible legal action
- Professional personnel, technical assistance and equipment
to assist public safety officials
What assistance is not provided?
The Emergency Operations Unit generally does not lend assistance
or assume a backup role in the following situations:
- Emergencies involving radioactive materials are handled
by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency
- Emergencies involving disease-contaminated materials
are handled by the Illinois Department of Public Health
- Spills at crude oil storage sites are handled by the
Division of Mines and Minerals (part of the Illinois Dept. of
Natural Resources), unless spills enter surface waters
- Citizens pollution complaints are typically handled by
the Illinois EPA Regional Offices and may be placed on-line, or
at 888/372-1996
- Workplace chemical exposure is handled by the Illinois
Dept. of Labor or the Occupational Safety and Health Agency
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Agency Safey Unit
To comply with the Illinois Health and Safety Act, Illinois EPA’s
Agency Safety Unit Illinois EPA conducts the necessary training of all
response staff and provides appropriate protective equipment for emergency
response actions.
Licensed Industrial Hygienist Program/Training
The Agency Safety Unit (within the Office of Emergency Response) administers
the Licensed Industrial
Hygienists (LIH) program.
Homeland Security
As a member of the Science Team of the State Weapons of Mass Destruction
Team (SWMDT), EOU lends support in responses related to bio-terrorism
and hazardous materials. By assessing hazards and associated risks, the
Science Team helps ensure the safety of the SWMDT personnel and the general
public.
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