Multiple organizations and counties participated in an annual exercise Sept. 20 designed to enhance emergency preparedness in the unlikely event of a chemical accident or incident at the Blue Grass Army Depot.

“We couldn’t do it without our partners,” said Michael Bryant, Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) coordinator, Madison County Emergency Management Agency. “If an event does happen at the depot, we will all work together to keep Madison County residents safe.”

“We run this exercise every year because the more we practice, the better we are going to be in a real-world situation,” Bryant said.

“I really enjoyed being a volunteer,” said Jennifer Burchett Grant, Madison County Joint Information Center volunteer from the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. “Seeing how the pieces all worked together was very informative for me. I sleep better at night knowing the whole team is working to keep our community safe and informed.”

Participating partner organizations included the depot; the Blue Grass Chemical Activity; Richmond, Berea and Madison County fire departments; Richmond and Berea police departments; the Kentucky State Police; Eastern Kentucky University; the Madison County School Board and area schools; area hospitals; state and local health departments; the American Red Cross; community volunteers; and many more, Bryant said. Most of the ten CSEPP counties participated in the scenario or added their own scenarios to more fully practice response skills.