SCSESA stands for St. Clair Special Emergency Services Association. It is an all-volunteer partnership between local governments, concerned citizens, labor organizations, industry professionals, fire departments, and Cencom. SCSESA is an emergency response team that provides relief to local communities during a time of crisis.

SCSESA is an emergency response team for the State of Illinois. The St. Clair County Emergency Services group has been established to provide hazardous materials and bio-terrorism emergency response services to Southern Illinois communities south of Springfield, Illinois, including the greater Metro-East communities, greater St. Clair County region, and serve as a back-up for St. Louis City and County as well as other large surrounding cities.

Special Emergency Services was founded in 1997 but did not become fully operational until 1999. The team was created to provide expert knowledge and assistance with difficult emergency situations that exceed the capabilities of local emergency response teams. In light of the events of September 11, 2001, the demand for a specialized group of emergency responders has grown significantly.

Approximately 100

Instructors certified by the State Fire Marshal provide training to team members in hazardous material response, chemical and biological terrorism response, radiation/radiological response, high angle rescue, confined space, structural collapse, and trench rescue. The volunteers use training exercises and mock disasters to learn and practice the special skills that are required when handling hazardous materials. Volunteers are equipped with the knowledge and physical support to provide security to citizens of Southern Illinois and St. Louis City that are stricken by a disaster or hazardous materials spill.

Contact: Ed Cox
Phone: (618) 583.1078
Fax: (618) 583.1388
E-mail: ed.cox@aftonchemical.com

SCSESA is not a government funded association so they do not receive money from the state of Illinois. The members of SCSESA hold fund raisers in order to buy new equipment and supplies

A highly-trained team of volunteers, the members of SCSESA are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, to provide expert support to local first responders including local firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency medical services personal. They respond in the following way:

• Step 1 – First responders (police, fire departments) of a town stricken by emergency will contact Cencom, the St. Clair County 911 dispatch, to request assistance.
• Step 2 – Cencom contacts the Special Emergency Services Duty Officer who determines the level of response needed based upon the severity of the disaster.
• Step 3 – The Special Emergency Services officer strategically selects a group of its members to respond to the disaster area.
• Step 4 – Upon arrival, the Special Emergency Services team evaluates the crisis and acting under the authorities of the local jurisdiction, enacts a plan of action.

SCSESA has responded to train derailments, Anthrax scares, mercury spills, anhydrous ammonia, gasoline tanker spills, methanol totes, power transformers, Chemicals and chlorine mixing, and hydrochloric acid spills.

Contact:

Pat Schaefer
Phone: 618/537-4949
Fax: 618/456-7890
Email: Pat.Schaefer@AftonChemical.com

As a special thank you for your tax deductible monetary support you will receive:
Member – $50 - $250
Contributions of $50 dollars or more will receive placement on the donations board of Special Emergency Services website.

Council’s Circle – $251 - $499
All of the above plus an official Special Emergency Services t-shirt and invitation to a special awards dinner.

Chairman’s Circle – $500 and above
All of the above plus special recognition at the St. Clair Special Emergency Services Association Awards Dinner and Annual Golf Tournament.