They say practice makes perfect. In this case, the practice isn’t for perfection but to refine skills, further relationships and build trust with regional partners before a crisis hits.
Emergency management personnel from local and state government recently worked with one another during a mock exercise at Henrico’s Emergency Operations Center.
“We recognize there are always areas for improvement, and we want to capitalize on that,” said Henrico’s Chief of Emergency Management Rob Rowley Jr. “So, these kinds of exercises help us build skills, build capabilities, so we can meet the challenges of the future.”
The mock drill involved more than a dozen individuals from emergency management departments around the region, including Goochland, Henrico, Richmond and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
Friday’s exercise was not played out as a large-scale, complex scenario. Rather, the scene centered on a core facet within the bigger crisis umbrella – coordinating and mobilizing resources during an emergency.
“So, success during large complex events begins with mastering a host of smaller skills,” Rowley said. “Resource coordination is one of those skills.”
Mobilizing resources can include anything from activating personnel to moving large scale equipment and materials such as fire trucks and other public safety gear. For this exercise, the regional partners had to secure and transfer four light towers.
“Things don’t magically appear and so we have to figure out how we get stuff, when we get it and make sure we are being conscious of taxpayer dollars,” said Stephen Willoughby, director and emergency management coordinator for Richmond’s Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response. “It gets us thinking through some of these scenarios, some of these problems.”
Natural disasters, man-made catastrophes or navigating through large-scale regional events are just some examples that can blur jurisdictional boundaries and have regional impact. Emergency management training is ongoing.
“Folks are busy, but they make time to come together for regional training like this that allows all of us to be better prepared to take care of our community when it matters most,” Rowley said. “That’s why in Henrico we do our part to create opportunities like this. So, when folks can’t make it to one – that’s ok. They’ll be at another.”
More regional mock drills are scheduled in September and December.
More information about Henrico’s Department of Emergency Management and Workplace Safety is available online.