Mississippi County is not participating in this week's Arkansas Department of Emergency Management's National Level Exercise because of recent flooding.
The exercises are government-mandated simulations of disaster situations which occur yearly and give first responders a chance to prepare for "catastrophic crises ranging from terrorism to natural disasters," according to the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.
This year's state-wide exercises, which are supposed to mimic the results of a massive earthquake such as might occur in the area, are taking place through Friday, but Mississippi County will be performing its drill at another time, said Joseph Richmond, the county's Emergency Management Coordinator.
"We intended to participate," said Richmond, "but we had 48 feet of water on the other side of the levee, and we didn't wish to participate in live exercises which might further alarm the public."
In addition to that complication, Richmond said the American Red Cross and other organizations which would normally participate in the exercise are busy working with actual disaster relief situations.
Among the plans for the week's simulations were a building collapse because of an earthquake, in several possible locations, as well as a HAZMAT situation, such as a chemical spill. These simulations would give county first responders the opportunity to practice the particular skills needed to deal with an actual earthquake crisis.
While a new date for the simulations has not yet been named, Richmond says that the public will be notified through press releases, so that the exercise will not cause general alarm.
sharris@blythevillecourier.com