Tabletop drill planned

Experts from a consulting firm in Fairfax, Va., and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency are helping Red Willow County's emergency responders and decision makers prepare for the unthinkable by thinking about it before it happens.

Lynn Mariano, William Vocke and Sarah Sutton of ICF Consulting, Fairfax, and Nathan Swanson of NEMA were in McCook Tuesday evening to develop a tabletop exercise with local law enforcement officers; fire, rescue and hazardous materials response personnel; and representatives of Red Cross, emergency preparedness, medicine, transportation, schools and media.

Mariano said the tabletop exercise will focus on one type of catastrophic disaster, yet lessons learned will translate to other emergencies.

Mariano said the focus of the drill will be what can be done internally for the initial response, rather than what help state and federal responders can bring in. He said the scenarios they develop will "be plausible," and will help the county reach its objectives.

The drill will help responders analyze communication, traffic control, health issues, economic impact, notification of public, coordination of trained and untrained volunteers, allocation of resources and manpower. Other issues, depending upon the specifics of the drill, could include quarantine, decontamination and embargo concerns and disposal of contaminants.

Mariano said the tabletop exercise will be "no fault," and focus on lessons learned. He said the exercise will help emergency responders refine, streamline and update their current procedures, as well as identify areas done well, areas that need improvement and gaps in the system.

The drill will help the county create an action plan and a plan of coordination to respond effectively to catastrophic disasters and/or terrorist situations.

The tabletop drill and debriefing will be May 4 and 5, at Community Hospital of McCook.