Cloud County hosts three-day disaster preparedness exercise

By Payton Tholstrup

Cloud County will host a three-day exercise focused on county disaster preparedness Oct. 28-30, according to a news release from Cloud County Emergency Management. The exercise will involve Cloud County and City of Concordia personnel, as well as local partners, Kansas Incident Support Team members from multiple counties in Kansas, and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM).

During these three days, you may notice emergency vehicles from various counties in Kansas as well as government vehicles in Concordia and other parts of Cloud County. This exercise provides local, regional and state partners the opportunity to test their emergency response capabilities.

Why this exercise is important:

· Testing Emergency Response Plans: Allows Cloud County to practice and refine emergency response plans.

· Improve coordination: Provides an opportunity to strengthen communication and coordination between different agencies.

· Identify Gaps: Allows Cloud County to identify any gaps in plans and make necessary adjustments.

· Strengthen community resilience: Participation in emergency preparedness activities promotes a culture of preparedness.

· Skill Improvement: Emergency responders will improve their skills through realistic scenarios.

Importance of Disaster Preparedness:

· Reduces risks and impacts: Effective preparedness reduces the likelihood of disaster-related injuries and deaths, minimizes property damage, and accelerates recovery efforts.

· Promotes Community Engagement: Promotes community engagement by encouraging residents to take proactive measures to protect themselves and their families.

· Supports rapid response: Communities that are prepared can respond more quickly to disasters.

· Promotes recovery: Preparation makes the recovery process easier.