Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Burns To Chair SERC

Arkadelphia's Office of Emergency Services coordinator, Jim Burns, has been elected as chairman of the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC).

The SERC, created by executive order of the Governor in 1986 as a result of the Super Fund Amendment and Reauthorization Act, is responsible for overseeing the various Local Emergency Planning Committees (LERC).

Included in the membership of the commission are state government department heads, industry representatives, individuals from the private sector and representatives from local government.

"The SERC provides LERC's an avenue through which any legislation concerning hazardous materials can be initiated," Burns said. "In the past, the SERC has been instrumental in changing legislation. One change is creating qualification procedures all HAZMAT (hazardous material) responders have to complete before they are certified by the SERC."

Burns brings 17 years of emergency management experience to the chairman's post. He was first appointed to the SERC by the governor in 1991.

Burns is also a member of the local LEPC for Clark County.