Emergency agencies practice disaster response in Lexington
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — Lexington Division of Emergency Management among other public safety agencies is participating in a disaster response exercise Wednesday at Jacobson Park.
“It’s an annual event that we do to make sure that we’re operationally capable of a chemical release in Fayette County and the surrounding counties,” Batallion Chief Shane Poynter said.
This is part of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Plan which prepares these agencies for the worst of the worst.
“We do have chemicals that move through the county via rail and freight traffic on the interstates and also a lot of our manufacturing in the city uses similar type; not weaponized chemicals but chemicals that we would go through the same decon and medical procedures on. And we’ll continue these operations throughout and into the future,” Poynter added.
This specific exercise simulates an accident involving secondary waste stored at the Bluegrass Army Depot in Richmond.
The exercise is held at Jacobson Park from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.
