Agency to Inspect for Hazardous Materials

Ventura County supervisors Tuesday agreed to move forward with plans to streamline the county’s hazardous waste and materials inspections.

Currently, the county’s Resource Management Agency and Fire Department both search for code violations at businesses that deal with hazardous materials.

But under a plan unanimously adopted by supervisors, the Resource Management Agency would be responsible for the inspections, ending the Fire Department’s duplicate efforts.

Although county officials said they have not yet determined how much money the consolidation would save, County Ombudsman Ruth Schepler said, “You are talking about a decent chunk of change.”

Nevertheless, fire officials said they were concerned that by switching responsibility to the Resource Management Agency, the Fire Department would be not be properly informed about businesses that are using hazardous materials.

Ken Maffei, president of the Ventura County Professional Firefighters’ Assn., said firefighters’ lives could be in danger if they respond to a fire or hazardous materials spill without knowing the extent of the chemicals involved.

“We are concerned about safety,” Maffei said.

But Schepler, who began studying the consolidation in the spring at the request of the supervisors, said the Fire Department would be given updated computer files on all inspections conducted by the Resource Management Agency.

“It is very difficult for firefighters to trust anyone who is an outsider,” she said. “It is time they learn that process.”