Metro Services participated in the annual Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) exercise. Metro Services personnel provided support in three emergency operations centers in Alabama’s CSEPP community.

In the early morning hours of March 5, the Anniston Army Depot sounded the alarm that an explosion involving several VX-filled M23 land mines had occurred. Community leaders were contacted and emergency responders took actions that, in a real-world event, would have helped keep residents safe.

Metro Services support was requested by the emergency management agencies in Calhoun, Etowah and Talladega counties. Data from the Special Population Planner software was used to track registered persons with special needs and their capability to take protective actions in a CSEPP event.

People with special needs in Alabama’s CSEPP footprint can register with their county emergency management agency and provide information about their ability to take protective actions and their physical and medical conditions. The information entered into the Special Population Planner database, which is managed by Metro Services, and used for emergency planning.

At Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency, Vanda Holt, president of Metro Services, worked with American Red Cross representatives to assist registered persons with special needs in zones that would have been affected if the exercise had been an actual event.

“We appreciated the opportunity to show our ability to respond effectively to Calhoun County EMA,” said Holt. “We took advantage of the exercise to identify our strengths and weaknesses in working with response agencies to assist the special-needs population. By working together, we can use this experience to create a better-prepared community.”