County-wide Emergency Disaster Drill Saturday

Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 12:00 AM

A simulated disaster drill, sponsored by PRAXAIR, will be held in San Juan County on Saturday (September 19, 2015).

COUNTY WIDE EMERGENCY DISASTER DRILL – Saturday, September 19, 2015

Aztec, NM – A simulated disaster drill, sponsored by PRAXAIR, will be held in San Juan County on Saturday (September 19, 2015). In coordination with PRAXAIR, San Juan County Office of Emergency Management will be testing local emergency response agencies from Farmington along with County and State agencies, to determine how well they can collectively respond to emergencies when resources are called to multiple locations throughout the county.

The simulation will take place simultaneously in four locations, the Four Corners Regional Airport, San Juan College West in Kirtland, Navajo Prep, San Juan County Emergency Operations Center in Aztec, and San Juan Regional Medical Center. Activities are scheduled to begin at 7:00am and should be completed by 1:00pm. During that time, the public can expect to see emergency responders in full gear and view police, fire, and ambulances traveling with lights and sirens to and from the four locations above. Businesses near the sites will be open as usual.

Please be aware of the increased responder traffic in these areas and contact Police and Fire Dispatch only if you are experiencing an emergency. Remember, this is only the simulation of a disaster.

The object of the drill is to create realistic conditions for responders for the best training experience possible and to determine how well prepared area emergency response agencies are to deal with a major emergency in the San Juan County area. “It is important for the County to participate in exercises such as these,” explained Don Cooper, San Juan County Emergency Manager. “It not only helps us to prepare for what to do in the event of a real emergency, but it also provides another avenue for various agencies in San Juan County to train together and continue building stronger relationships.”

The following agencies are expected to participate: PRAXAIR, San Juan County Office of Emergency Management, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, San Juan County Fire Department, San Juan County Communication Authority, San Juan Regional EMS, City of Farmington, Farmington Police Department, Farmington Fire Department, New Mexico National Guard, New Mexico State Police, San Juan College, San Juan Regional Medical Center, Navajo Prep High School, Four Corners Regional Airport and the Red Cross.

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