The Region V Hazardous Materials Team stands ready to protect the public from chemical accidents in times of emergency.

Since 2003. Peg Stickrod has worked to keep the team up and running.

As administrative coordinator and finance manager for Region V, Stickrod coordinates training exercises and makes sure grant applications are submitted to state and federal sources.

"I try to help the emergency managers any way I can," she said. "They're a great bunch to work with."

Region V covers Webster, Calhoun, Sac, Carroll, Greene, Humboldt, Hamilton, Pocahontas and Wright counties. It was established in 1994 as a means to pool hazardous materials response resources.

One recent example of Stickrod's work was during a disaster drill at the Fort Dodge Regional Airport on April 30. There, Stickrod made sure the team, which is headquartered at the Fort Dodge Fire Department, was on hand to gain insight that will be valuable should a real disaster arise.

In August, a full-scale exercise will be held at the NEW Co-op in Clare, Stickrod said. The exercise will begin with a grain dust explosion and escalate from there.

"The exercise will test emergency responders and first responders as to how they would do things if it happened in real time," she said. "It also tests the accident command system."

Such exercises become more and more important not only to promote readiness, but also as they can lead to greater grant funding - a necessity as budgets at the state levels tighten up, Stickrod said.

"We're required to conduct certain exercises as part of a planning grant from the government," she said.

During the Clare exercise, Stickrod will keep track of who participates, along with what supplies and equipment are used.

All of these details will go into a post-exercise report that she will write.

Stickrod's progression to her current position did not follow a straight path.

A native of Farnhamville, where she still lives, Stickrod spent 12 years as director of the Blanden Memorial Art Museum.

"I learned a lot about art," she said. "We have many talented people in the area."

Eventually, Stickrod took an administrative position with the Fort Dodge Fire Department, where she worked half her time with the department and half with Region V.

As such, the progression to her current position was smooth, she said.

Stickrod describes her job as very much behind the scene.

Though she is on hand to field any questions from the public, such occurrences are rare, she said.

However, a long and ever-shifting set of government regulations regarding hazardous materials can prompt the occasional query.

"I'm working to keep up with all the changing government rules," she said. "It's a good challenge and keeps me busy."

Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net