Kiowa County Division of Emergency Management
Elaine Lindholm, Director
1305 Goff Street
Eads, CO 80136
719-438-2288

MEDIA RELEASE – For Immediate Release
(supplements, but does not replace, prior releases)

July 19, 2006

For more information contact
Kiowa County Division of Emergency Management
Chris Sorensen, Public Information Officer
719-688-1976 (cell, not for public release) or chris@kiowaoem.com

KIOWA COUNTY EMERGENCY RESPONDERS PREPARING TO TEST THEIR SKILLS

* Full scale training exercise scheduled for Saturday, August 26, beginning at 9:00 a.m. and is scheduled to run for three hours
* To be held on the Kiowa County Fairgrounds, northwest corner of Eads.
* Six local agencies planning to participate
o Emergency Medical Services
o Sheriff’s Office
o Division of Emergency Management
o Public Health
o Eads Volunteer Fire Department
o Weisbrod Memorial Hospital
* Regional Agencies planning to participate
o Colorado State Patrol Hazardous Materials Unit (evaluating and participating)
o Colorado Division of Emergency Management (evaluating)
o Bent County (dispatching)
* Scenario simulates a two-vehicle crash at the underpass near Highways 96 and 287, and will simulate a chemical release – NORMAL TRAFFIC WILL NOT BE AFFECTED, CHEMICALS ARE NOT BEING USED
* Full details of the scenario will not be available prior to the exercise so participants can test their skills against unknown elements
* Expert observer-controllers will monitor each agency’s personnel to identify both strengths and weaknesses in the response.
* The exercise will be suspended or canceled if a real emergency occurs
* Sessions after the exercise will allow responders to discuss actions taken
* Community members are welcome to watch, but must stay in designated areas for safety purposes
* Addition information about the Kiowa County Division of Emergency Management is available from Elaine Lindholm, Director, at 719-438-2288.
* Funding for the training is provided by the Department of Homeland Security via the Colorado Division of Emergency Management
* Kiowa County is part of the Southeast Colorado All-Hazards Region, which also includes Baca, Bent, Otero, Prowers and Crowley Counties
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Released 2006-07-19, 18:02 – supplements previous versions