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Last updated on Thursday, May 24, 2018
(MITCHELL) - The Lawrence County Emergency Management Agency held a mock disaster exercise to better prepare the City of Mitchell, emergency crews and businesses for when disaster strikes.
Valerie Luchauer, Director of Emergency Management, created a mock tornado for emergency personnel to discuss their plan of action upon the event of a disaster. The tornado in the exercise created an accident involving a chemical spill, damage to Mitchell City Hall and damage the Mitchell water wells.
"The tornado I chose was because I needed to be able to test three separate plans - so I had to have some type of scenario that would encompass a wide swath of damage, but I didn't make it so big that we were over whelmed and couldn't do anything until we called other people," said Luchauer.
Those plans tested were the local Emergency Hazardous Materials Plan, the City of Mitchell Continuity of Government and Operations Plan and the Wellhead Protection Plan for the City of Mitchell.
The City of Mitchell Continuity of Government and Operations Plan was created this spring and details the actions to be taken to ensure city functions continue after a disaster. Should City Hall be damaged in a natural disaster, the plan is to relocate to the Mitchell Community Building.
"The plan is to move city hall right here to this building...That way we wouldn't be in any inconvenience to schools and the citizens can still pay their water bills, meet with the mayor... they can still have their city council meetings here, board of works meetings, the Police department can come in here and set up - there is plenty of room here," said Luchauer.
The room divided into groups where they discussed their individual plans of action including what resources would be needed, how would this effect homes, businesses, the environment and more.
"If something happens, they will already know what to do because we have discussed this. And by opening up and finding out what everyone else is capable of, then we know who we can call when it hits. Getting to know each others strengths and weaknesses - that will make us better prepared."
Along with State Emergency Management Agency personnel, in attendance was JD England, City of Mitchell Mayor; Tyler Duncan, Mitchell Fire Chief and Utilities Superintendent; Reggie Johnson, Asst. Fire Chief; Fred Cassidy, Asst. Fire Chief and Asst. Utilities Superintendent; Mike Johnson, Mitchell Police Chief; Mark Bryant, City of Mitchell Clerk Treasurer; Gerald Mosier, Street Commissioner; BJ Lindsay, Building Commissioner; Larry Caudell, City Council President; Paul Gillespie, Marion Township Fire Chief and more.
More information on the Lawrence County Emergency Management Agency can be found on their website.
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