Agencies team up in CSRA simulation to plan for emergency
EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Local, regional and state agencies came together to plan what they’d do in an emergency.
The so-called tabletop exercise Wednesday at a Columbia County School District facility is focused on helping agencies coordinate their efforts in a crisis.
The #strongaugusta coalition hosted the event that’s facilitated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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The exercise simulated a mass-casualty incident, prompting participants to test response protocols, share intelligence and coordinate decision-making.
The drill focused on making sure public safety, health services, and schools can work together smoothly and keep things running during an emergency.
From local officials to the FBI, a diverse group of organizations and agencies participated.
“In today’s world, if a crisis happens, we’re not going to be self-efficient. We have got to reach out to other agencies. Doing that today in these exercises opens those doors, opens those windows, and it makes us work a lot smoother together by learning our strong points, by learning our faults, by learning our strong parts to that,” said Gary Owens, Columbia County School District chief of police.
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They’re working together to try to break down the barriers between agencies.
“To make us safer so that we can be the best community in America. That is our goal: to continue to do things like this and continue to strive, and just keep getting better,” said Brian Ozden, FBI Special Agent.
The agencies don’t communicate every day, so they’re doing the joint exercise together to achieve that common goal of public safety.
Though Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson says he hopes this training is never used, he said he is confident that Richmond County is ready.
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“I tell this group all the time, every session there is always a mayor who comes up to me and says I never expected it to happen in my community,” said Johnson.
Doing that during the simulation will open those doors so the agencies can work together more smoothly.
They want to learn their faults and strong points now instead of during a crisis.
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