Towns County EMA Deputy Director Brandon Walls and GEMA Homeland Security Coordinator Dave Shakes

Towns County, GA – Towns County Fire and Rescue participated in an emergency preparedness drill on Monday, August 14. The drill was implemented and evaluated by local and state Emergency Management Agencies (EMA). This year’s mock scenario was a tornado disaster which touched down at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds.

Under the supervision of their Pack Leaders, Towns County Cub Scouts, Den #407, played the role of “victims” to provide realistic training for the firefighters involved. The scouts, along with other volunteers, gathered at Anderson Music Hall located on the fairgrounds. Each participant was assigned “injuries” ranging from broken legs to serious trauma by an EMA director.

The group then positioned themselves throughout the dimly lit music hall shortly before 5 p.m. and awaited the arrival of first responders. The firefighters involved were unaware of the situation and the location of the drill until their “tones dropped” at the start of the exercise. The dispatched call relayed a tornado had touched down during a weather event which resulted in the structure of the arena collapsing.

Towns County Cub Scouts, Den #407

Firefighters arrived on scene, assessed the situation, and suited up in their gear to begin the search for “victims” of the tragedy inside. Those who were able to walk were lead to a triage station outdoors. Those who could not were triaged inside of the concert hall.

Fetch Your News correspondent, Robin Webb, was invited to play the role of a “pesky reporter”, along with other reporters who covered the drill, by EMA Deputy Director Brandon Walls. She was instructed to hinder first responders by attempting to learn information and gain access to restricted areas in order to test the response of firefighters. After a short time inside the arena, she was asked to remain in the parking area.

The media is typically prohibited from passing beyond the set perimeter of real life emergency scenes.

Meanwhile on Lake Chatuge, which borders the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, a secondary scenario was taking place. The training consisted of a search and rescue effort conducted by the Towns County Fire and Rescue Dive Team.

Towns County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Harold Koppell

According to Captain Terry Parker, three boaters were said to have been on the lake when the tornado tossed them into the water. One boater was still with the vessel, another, simulated by a mannequin, was said to have been seen clinging to a fence, while the third boater’s whereabouts were unknown. Cadaver dogs were called while a land search ensued. The male “victim” was located in a ditch, alive but “injured”.

When asked how he thought the crew performed, Battalion Chief Harold Koppell said he felt they did well for the first drill of this type. “It took a little while to get in there, but in a real life situation you don’t want to go in like gangbusters. That’s how people get hurt,” Koppell explained.

The exercise ended with a group briefing attended by Fire Chief Harold Copeland and Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw.

Chief Copeland tells Fetch Your News the purpose of the exercise was to test the firefighters strengths and discover aspects which could be improved upon.

“We never stop training,” Chief Copeland affirmed.