By Walter Hojka
The Pendleton County Emergency Planning Committee (PCEPC) is planning to participate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program, emergency officials said at their meeting on May 5.
The program helps communities develop, execute, and evaluate exercises that address preparedness for emergency situations. During the meeting, officials discussed preparedness training for accidents involving large passenger vehicles. “We need to be prepared for that,” said Bruce Minor, chairman of the PCEPC.
As per Homeland Security protocols, the exercises will include a tabletop exercise, in which various emergency response teams will meet to work through a potential emergency. The exercises culminate in a physically staged emergency response situation. Minor stressed that evaluation during each exercise will be helpful in improving the response in the next exercise. The PCEPC has allotted $250 to the project and plans to form a committee to facilitate the project.
The emergency planning committee will be holding a public meeting July 14 at noon. The meeting will be held at the Pendleton Community Building. All current emergency planning documents will be made available, and any questions will be answered.
