Brown County emergency agencies participated in an area disaster exercise on Friday set in the scenario of a tornado touch down. Three locations of the mock disaster were staged to evaluate how the county will respond to a disaster and discover any unexpected problems that could occur during disasters to better prepare should the area ever experience the real thing.
The locations of the disaster exercise included Howard Payne University, Early City Hall and Brownwood Regional Medical Center.
The scenario was the aftermath as a tornado hits the area, damaging not only the campus of Howard Payne but also the BRMC emergency room. The idea was the need to establish an alternate care center which was housed in a large tent on the BRMC grounds near the ER.
“Basically in this exercise, we are practicing alternate care sites and communications,” said coordinator Jodie Hohertz. “BRMC added a twist to this scenario and also made their communications within the hospital to have been taken out, so their communication is also being dealt to county, to the communications trailer, and at the ER tent.”
Hohertz said that the Brown County Amateur Radio Club also helped to make sure that communications between agencies was never lost during the mock disaster.
“The amateur radio guys handled everything when the exercise first started until the other emergency responders could get communications set up,” Hoherts said. “We were never without communications. Not every city has these kind of guys who are Vietnam vets or are trained through the military the old fashion way.”
The Salvation Army served volunteers lunch and had a 72 hour cantina set up just like it would be during a real disaster, organizers said.
Officials also said that overall, the disaster training went smoothly.
“Everything seems to be going well, a few little delays and problems but that is what happens in emergencies, sometimes things don’t go smoothly,” said communications officer Deidra Molotsky. “It’s good this happens so we know how to deal with these when it really happens or counts.”
Jim White, District Coordinator of the Texas DPS, Texas Division of Emergency and Bill Shaw, Homeland Security Planner for the West Central Texas Council of Governments were both on hand to help evaluate the exercise.
Click the photo gallery below for photos from the disaster training from Howard Payne Campus and Brownwood Regional Medical Center.
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Some of the participants in the exercise include:
- Brownwood Police Department
- Brownwood Fire Department
- Health Department
- Brown County Emergency Management
- Early Police Department
- Early Fire Department
- Brownwood Regional Medical Center (staff, facilities, property)
- Howard Payne University (nursing, student organization, drama team and facilities)
- Guardian EMS
- Heart of Texas EMS
- City and Rural Rides (transporting volunteers to the event)
- The Brown County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Students With A Goal (SWAG)
- Brownwood High Students for Health
- Center for Life Resources (MHMR)
- Brown County Amateur Radio Club
- Red Cross
- Salvation Army
- Brownwood ISD
- Early ISD