'Mass casualty drill' set for NE Kansas school

TOPEKA (KSNT) - A northeast Kansas sheriff is taking precautionary steps to prepare local first responders for a crisis event.

The Nemaha County Sheriff's Office posted to social media on Wednesday, Sept. 18 about an upcoming "Mass Casualty Drill" involving several first responder agencies in the area. The drill is set for 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23 at Nemaha Central Elementary and Middle School located in Seneca at 110 North 11th Street.

Nemaha County Sheriff Richard Vernon tells 27 News the drill involves all local law enforcement and emergency service workers. The drill comes in the shadow of school emergencies across the country which are causing angst among the parents of students. Vernon said this practice exercise is part of law enforcement "doing our due diligence" in preparing for a possible emergency in the future.

"Well with anything in life, it's easier to do something the second or third time around," Vernon said. "If it does happen, God forbid, it wouldn't be a first time for anybody and in our minds we'd know how to do it."

First responders will learn how to cooperate with each other during the drill and identify areas of improvement. Locals can expect to see multiple law enforcement, fire and other emergency service agencies at NCEMS on the day of the drill.

"Even out here in rural America, we are watching, we are trying to prepare ourselves for things we hope will never happen," Vernon said.

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