Final CSEPP Disaster Exercise on June 12th around 8:30AM

The Final CSEPP Disaster Exercise was conducted on Wednesday, June 12th, beginning at 9:05AM.

The Madison County Emergency Management Agency / Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (EMA/CSEPP) is conducting its final disaster exercise. This exercise is based on a mock incident at the Blue Grass Army Depot and members of FEMA are in the county to evaluate community readiness. The last chemical weapon stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot was destroyed July 7th, 2023. Hazardous materials remain at the site, however, and the next step of the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) project is the closure phase, which is anticipated to take an additional year or more. This includes disposal of secondary wastes, and other activities, during which the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program will continue.

Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond Campus, usually participates, in a limited capacity, in a manner that normally does not affect the typical operations of the University. We participated this year, by convening our Campus Operations Team, and discussing emergency decisions, actions, and operations, in a Department Operations Center. We also sent our Education Liaison to the Madison County Emergency Operations Center to facilitate information flow between County and University Officials.

During our exercise (Workshop/Tabletop Exercise/Game) at our Department Operations Center, we worked our CSEPP procedures checklists, and we also worked through an Active Assailant hypothetical scenario. Incident Objectives were established, and strategic and tactical operations, were discussed and explored. This "side" scenario was intended to be expounded upon, in future exercises, in continuation of our ongoing efforts to prepare for this, and other, types of emergencies.    

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We encouraged everyone, who was able and willing, to review and consider how they would protect themselves during a CSEPP, or other community-wide, emergency event.

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You can be more involved by either, pausing and reviewing the Emergency Action Plan or the Chemical Release Response Manual located at https://emergency.eku.edu, or by reviewing the information links at the bottom of this message. Taking a moment to review our plans (either alone, with your class, or with fellow peers) will help you be better prepared to react and respond to various emergencies. Please note that there will be no operational impact to our facilities during the exercise.

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If this were an actual emergency, you would see an EKU Public Safety Alert that reads something like this:

EKU Emergency Alert: Chemical Release Madison County. Go to Combs Bldg, Dizney Bldg, Model Gym, Perkins Bldg, University Bldg, Whitlock Bldg, or SIP with SIP Kit.

You would go to either the:

Combs Building

Dizney Building

Perkins Building

University Building

Whitlock Building

Model Gymnasium (Model Gym is reserved for the Model population's use)

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Now is a great time to learn more about what you can do to protect yourself, during a chemical event, or other emergency.

EKU Community-Wide Chemical Release Response Video (What you should do on the EKU Richmond Campus) (Please Note - Alumni Coliseum is currently offline for renovation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J6RqbA2e70

Madison County Shelter In Place Video (What you should do off the EKU Richmond Campus elsewhere in Madison County):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK6OKOgUk0Y

You can watch our Emergency Situations/Drills Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RSO5Dd08hA

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If this were an actual emergency, you would be alerted to the danger through the Outdoor Warning Siren system. An alternating, high and low, wailing siren sound indicates a chemical emergency. This should not be confused with the severe weather siren, which is a steady wailing sound. You would also be alerted through the Alert FM Radios, and through EKU Alerts.

Your automatic, default, protective action would be to go to one of our Enhanced Shelter In Place (ESIP) Buildings without delay.

Once you arrive, you would move inside the protected area of the building, close all perimeter windows and doors, and activate the Collective Protection System (CPS), by pressing the red button on the face of the system control panel. Anyone can activate the system. Public Safety Officials may not be in your ESIP Building.

The System Control Panels are located at:

Combs Building - 1st Floor North East Closet

Dizney Building - 1st Floor Main Lobby

Perkins Building - First Level Main Lobby

University Building - 3rd Floor by 323A

Whitlock Building - 1st Floor Lobby Area 153

Model Gymnasium - Lower Level Room 151 (Model Gym is reserved for the Model population's use)

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If this were an actual emergency, a chemical plume would be modeled, and a projection would be made about if, and when, the plume is anticipated to arrive in our zones (Zones 2E and/or 2D, 1C, 3A, and 3D). That would be the time, you would be asked to lock your perimeter doors, and not allow anyone else to enter your building. Anyone arriving at your building after that time should be directed to Shelter In Place somewhere else. Further instructions would be made, as the situation changes, through EKU Public Safety Alerts.

More Information about Hazardous Materials and the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program is available at:
https://emergency.eku.edu/hazardous-materials-csepp-chemical-stockpile-emergency-preparedness-program

Published on June 10, 2024