Lessons learned; Homeland Security Drill held in Dexter

Noreen Hyslop Photo Dexter Fire Chief Al Banken served as Information officer for the HAZMAT event, with Jackson Bostic, environmental specialist with the DNR on hand to help direct and coordinate activities.

There were weapons drawn, suspects cuffed and officers walking in step, protected by a common shield held high to protect their upper bodies as they backed away in step from the threat of gunfire after a meth lab was "discovered" east of Dexter Saturday morning.

Although the weapons were real and the men present were actual law enforcement officers, the scene at the Stoddard County Fairgrounds was a Homeland Security Exercise, a session that took place in the extreme heat of Saturday to grant a number of agencies help in establishing and improving coordination of efforts in the actual event of a critical situation. A similar exercise was held last summer that involved a mock chemical spill.

Saturday's scenario portrayed a meth lab in progress, with five individuals inside a metal building participating in the making of methamphetamine.

All players in Saturday's scenario are part of the Ozark Regional Homeland Security Response Team (HSRT), comprised of members from Butler, Stoddard and Ripley counties. They include members of the Butler County Fire Department, Poplar Bluff City Fire Department, Doniphan Fire Department, Dexter Fire Department, Bloomfield Fire Department, Stoddard County EMS and a number of volunteer members from other agencies or area businesses.

Additionally, major role players in the weekend event includes the Sikeston SWAT team and Kennett's HSRT.

Dexter's Fire Chief Al Banken served as Public Information Officer for the drill and on hand to coordinate and direct agencies involved were Capt. Ken Dicus with Sikeston Public Safety, Jackson Bostic, environmental specialist with the Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) and State On-Scene Coordinator Art Goodin, also with the DNR.

Banken explained the mock situation. "The event involved unknown assailants who are believed to have taken over an inhabited structure on the grounds. It is believed that there are hazardous materials in the structure and that the assailants may be armed. It is believed that we also have a hostage situation ensuring."

Two goals existed for the agencies on hand. Initially, they were to secure the assailants and hostages in the structure as quickly and safely as possible and secondly, they were to identify and secure any hazardous materials that may have been present in the building.

Entering the building to apprehend the suspects were officers and firefighters who have been trained in the handling of suspects and materials that have the potential of coming in contact with hazardous materials. Theoretically, with no knowledge of the level of toxins with which they were about to come into contact, full decon suits were donned prior to the officers entering the facility where the suspected meth lab was in operation.

The suspects were led to a decon tent, having been inflated on site once authorities suspected the need for decontamination might come into play. The tent is housed in a trailer maintained by Dexter authorities and is raised in a manner of minutes. Hot water is supplied through a diesel powered system and the tent contains three divided stations for decontamination procedures. It becomes quickly evident that the men in charge of its operations know their business well and the process is performed without a hitch.

Precautions are taken prior to any officer, firefighter or volunteer suiting up for the exercise. A monitoring station, manned by local EMS personnel, goes into full speed taking a baseline set of vital signs on those personnel who will be suiting up in the cumbersome decon suits. Blood pressures, oxygen rates and pulse rates are all recorded and if an officer or volunteer doesn't make the grade, they do not participate in that aspect of the training.

The exercise served HSRT members and other participating agencies as a learning experience, should they ever be called to action in a "real life" situation involving similar circumstances. All in all, the drill was judged to have gone smoothly by those in authority.

"We're always in a learning capacity," said Banken. "We hold these exercises to coordinate our efforts and make sure we're ready for any given emergency situation. It's a cooperative effort and could not be accomplished without the direction of many individuals, each of whose expertise is very much appreciated. I believe everyone involved felt that the exercise was a success. We learned a few things as we always do. That's why we hold these exercises. We improve our skills with each training."