The Observer, May 2006
Volunteer Profile
Experience and enthusiasm: OSPR’s John LeClair
By SUSAN SOMMER
Project Manager
The council’s committee volunteers aren’t just nice folks who like supporting a good cause—they are real experts in their fields.
John LeClair, who’s been volunteering on the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Committee for about a year, is a prime example.
Besides serving on the OSPR committee, John LeClair enjoys canoeing with his daughter, Aubrey, shown above during a trip to Utah. Photo courtesy of John LeClair.
He is response manager for Alaska Chadux (pronounced cha’ dhoo) Corp., an Anchorage-based oil spill removal organization. His job: organization, direction and control of the company’s operations, logistical support, training and planning, and equipment maintenance. The company has been in business since 1993; John joined in 2001.
He came to Alaska in 1981 from the Pacific Northwest to work as a smokejumper in the Bureau of Land Management’s firefighting operations. For several years, he worked in wildfire mitigation around Alaska in various incident command system roles, leading teams of responders. For the last nine years before starting at Chadux, John served as State Fire Management Officer for the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island. He also served as logistics section chief on incident management teams for major floods on the Kenai Peninsula and in northern Alaska and filled that same role during the Exxon Valdez oil spill. He has a degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage in fire science administration. With so much experience, leadership during a crisis comes naturally to John.
Alaska Chadux Corp. is called out four to five times per year for spills. The staff spends the rest of the time training and making sure they are prepared to act at a moment’s notice. “Chadux” comes from an Aleut word that originally meant “rendered sea mammal oil.” The term evolved to describe fuel and today refers to oil.
John brings his years of incident management experience to each meeting of OSPR, as the committee is known, and is eager to act if asked. He says, “I like to see action items given to committee members” who are willing and able to spend time researching issues, drafting letters, making phone calls, or anything else that would further the committee’s goals.
OSPR focuses on reducing the size and frequency of oil spills, as well as reducing the harm they cause.
Members review oil spill prevention and response plans; monitor state and federal laws and regulations; monitor and participate in oil spill drills; and investigate developments in prevention, containment, response, and cleanup technology.
Field work associated with the OSPR Committee appeals to John. “I really enjoyed going to Cordova with Roy for a drill,” he says.
‘Roy’ is Roy Robertson, the council’s drill monitor. “Because of his experience, John gives good feedback,” Roy says. “He has a good relationship with the responders and is well-respected.”
John has always liked exploring new territory. He worked summers for BLM during his early years in Alaska, and spent the winters traveling around Southeast Asia and South America. Now, he and his wife and daughter like to see Alaska via cross-country skis. Summertime finds the family setting up their tent along Alaska’s trails, and when home in Anchorage, tending their vegetable garden.
It might just be John’s friendly, easy-going manner that makes him such a good leader, especially when supported by so much hands-on experience. The council is fortunate to have such a capable volunteer.