Full-scale exercise to bring abundance of emergency vehicles to Bay Minette

Event will test agencies' response to hazardous materials transportation incident

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You may see more emergency vehicles in the Bay Minette area on Thursday, Aug. 22, than normal. It’s just a test.

Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency (BCEMA), in collaboration with numerous local fire departments and the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will conduct a comprehensive full-scale exercise on Aug. 22. This exercise will simulate a response to a transportation incident involving a hazardous materials release, enabling participants to refine their skills and coordination in managing such complex scenarios, according to a news release.

The exercise will involve a multifaceted response scenario, focusing on key areas such as notification procedures, command establishment, operational coordination and communications management during an expanding incident. This event is part of a progressive exercise series, which began with a tabletop exercise in June 2024, involving the same participating agencies. It is designed in compliance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) guidelines.

Those who see this happening should know these vehicles are not responding to an actual incident.

“Their presence is intended to simulate real-world emergency response situations and ensure that our agencies are well-prepared for any future emergencies,” the news release stated.

The exercise aims to bolster multi-agency preparedness and enhance coordination among participating organizations. The lessons learned from this exercise will be carefully analyzed and incorporated into ongoing training and planning efforts to further strengthen the county's ability to respond to any future incidents.