On Wednesday, the Madison County Emergency Management Agency/Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (EMA/CSEPP) will conduct its annual emergency preparedness exercise. A mock scenario will test the readiness of emergency management personnel and first responders.
Residents should take note that, as part of the exercise on Wednesday, sirens will be sounded at the Blue Grass Army Depot and from the EMA/CSEPP Emergency Operations Center.
Groups involved in the exercise of the mock incident will be Blue Grass Army Depot, Madison County EMA/CSEPP and representatives from local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, medical personnel and hospitals, Madison County Health Department, Eastern Kentucky University and Madison County Schools.
Observers will evaluate each component of the preparedness program to document both strengths and weaknesses in the system.
“Each year we strive to improve our readiness to deal with possible emergencies in Madison County,” said EMA Director Carl Richards.
“These annual exercises put our personnel through their paces to practice the plans we have in place. The cooperation among agencies makes us all better at what we do.”
This year a new building for the Joint Information Center (JIC)/ Joint Information System (JIS) will be used for the first time. Mock press release information to the public and the media is dispersed from the JIC, and a mock news conference will be held there as part of the exercise.
