Hazardous materials exercise scheduled Saturday morning at South Putnam

Several emergency response agencies from throughout Putnam County will be converging on South Putnam High School and Putnam County Hospital on Saturday morning, Sept. 21, as part of a training exercise.

The 8 a.m. event will be a full-scale mock disaster involving hazardous materials training.

The mock incident will take place at South Putnam High School, but Putnam County Hospital will also be involved by receiving several patients from the scene.

The newly trained Putnam County CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team) will also be involved at the Greencastle Christian Church, which will serve as a shelter for the event.

Exact details of the exercise are not being released for the purpose of making the event as lifelike as possible for participants. However, citizens who see emergency vehicles working at any of these areas should understand that it is part of the drill.

Additionally, anyone with emergency scanners or radios should understand there will be radio traffic involving the hazmat event and should not be alarmed.

While citizens are asked not to call Putnam County Dispatch about the events at South Putnam or Putnam County Hospital, 911 should still be dialed in the event of a real emergency.