The Putnam County Local Emergency Planning Committee conducted an emergency simulation Thursday involving multiple agencies.
Putnam County Emergency Management Agency Director Brandon Smith said the exercise involved a rescue task force administering aid to victims of an active shooter. Smith said the simulation was broken into two parts: an active shooter emergency and a medical team exercise.
“See what the response looks like, to find the things you do well, to find the things you can do better,” Smith said. “And figure out what are the pieces of equipment that we need, the training that we need to be able to have a better response the next time. It’s absolutely invaluable.”
Smith said the Planning Committee analyzes the best ways to prepare the community for dangerous situations. Smith said the agency and committee combine many emergency scenarios in exercises to better prepare agencies and the public. Smith said active shooter, tornado, flooding and other hazards the community faces are considered.
“It gives us the chance to exercise and test what we think we know, and test the equipment and the resources that we have and make sure that they’re accurate and what our community deserves.”
Smith said the Planning Committee began many years ago as a response to the state implementing a right-to-know policy about hazardous chemicals. Smith said the Committee has morphed into a body that discusses and problem solves hazards in the community, not just chemical.
“We spend a lot of time in training with this group, doing table top exercises where we sit around the room and each sits in their own area of responsibility, and throw out different problems to talk through,” Smith said. “How do we solve those? what are the potential issues that we can foresee?”
The exercise took place near Tennessee Tech. Smith said both the Committee and agency try and look to locations where vulnerable populations gather. Smith said Tennessee Tech, school systems, and hospitals host many vulnerable populations.
“There are also several factories and private industry folks that we work with to host these exercises. It just so happens that this one was at the University.”
