A full-scale emergency operations exercise involving state, local, and regional public safety agencies will take place Thursday, March 20 at UMass Dartmouth, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The exercise will attract numerous police, fire and EMS professionals and vehicles, possibly including a helicopter, to the campus during the morning hours.

"We want to be sure that members of our campus community and our neighbors are aware of the exercise so that they will not be unduly alarmed when they see significant emergency activity at the university on Thursday,'' said UMass Dartmouth Director of Public Safety Emil Fioravanti.

The exercise brings together the Southeast Regional Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council (SRAC), comprised of southeastern Massachusetts municipal public safety agencies and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety; Massachusetts State Police; and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to collaborate in the exercise.

Strategic Emergency Group LLC (SEG), an emergency management and homeland security services firm with extensive exercise experience (www.StrategicEmergency.com) will facilitate the exercise to test the university, local, regional and state response to a major emergency.

"This exercise is an essential step as regional response agencies and the university prepare to efficiently handle emergencies requiring multi-agency coordination," said Walter Kowalczyk, SEG Vice President and Exercise Program Manager.

Activity on the campus will begin at approximately 7 a.m. and begin to wrap up around 4 p.m.

CONTACT:
John Hoey
508.999.8027
jhoey@umassd.edu