Don’t Panic – It’s Just a Drill
When you see a bunch of emergency vehicles and folks in hazmat suits around Scioto County this weekend, don’t panic. It’s not another toxic train derailment. It’s just an important training exercise to make sure first responders are ready if the worst happens here.
Scioto County EMA Director Larry Mullins says the Scioto County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will conduct a full-scale hazmat exercise on April 15. The exercise runs from 10 to noon and will happen at three different locations.
You’ll see activity at the Emergency Operations Center on 6th Street, Southern Ohio Medical Center, and at a simulated accident scene on SR 73 in Union Township.
Mullins says Ohio requires communities to test their emergency response plan every year. This year’s drill will simulate an accident accompanied by a chemical spill in Union Township.
During the drill, emergency personnel use the same equipment and respond the way they would during an actual emergency. Volunteers will play the part of victims and residents. Mullins says this is the first full-scale drill in several years. “This year’s exercise has a lot of moving parts and logistics and will present a formidable challenge to everyone involved.”
Multiple agencies will take part, including Access Scioto County, the National Weather Service, Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Emergency Management, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Salvation Army, Scioto County Amateur Emergency Radio Services, Scioto EMA, Scioto County Health Department, Scioto LEPC, Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, Southern Ohio Medical Center, Tri-State Chapter of the American Red Cross, Union Township EMS Squad 10, Union Township Fire Department, and Veolia North American.