LOCAL DISASTER EXERCISE TO BE CONDUCTED JUNE 29

06/22/2010
Lawrence - Twelve local emergency response agencies will participate in a full-scale disaster exercise in Lawrence Tuesday, June 29, 2010. The training activity will test the Local Emergency Operations Plan and evaluate the ability to provide integrated, centralized, efficient and orderly management of response resources and interface with multiple agencies in Douglas County in a major emergency. According to Teri Smith, Douglas County Emergency Management Director, the focus of the exercise will be a hazardous materials scenario and will involve activating the Douglas County Emergency Operations Center and incident site management. Lawrence Memorial Hospital also will be a venue for the exercise, where the hospital will test its mass casualty plan. The exercise will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. until about 1:00 p.m., Smith said. Participants will include Douglas County Emergency Management, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical, Douglas County Haz-Mat Team, Douglas County Emergency Communications Center, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Dept., Lawrence Police Dept., Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Kansas All-Hazards Behavioral Health Team, Douglas County Public Information Officers, Douglas County Purchasing Office and American Red Cross. Kansas University, Kansas Division of Emergency Management and other eighboring agencies will assist with the administration and evaluation of the exercise. Including approximately 50 volunteers assisting with the exercise, about 207 people will be involved in the event, Smith said. For additional information contact: Bob Newton, PIO 785-331-5787 or Teri Smith 785-838-2459

Related Links:
Press Release - http://www.douglas-county.com/depts/em/docs/pdf/localdisasterexercise.pdf

Media Contact:
Teri Smith, Director
Emergency Management Department
785-838-2460
tsmith@douglas-county.com