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Lionshead to host emergency training

Staff Reports

It’s not very often that you hear about an emergency a few weeks before it happens. But there is no faster way to react and rescue those affected.For example, a collapsed building in Lionshead among all the construction could be disastrous, affecting a billion-dollar renovation plan and the lives of those working and living in the area.Such is the case from May 21 24, when a planned crisis, a simulated construction site accident, will serve as a training exercise for nearly 200 local, state and federal emergency workers.”This will give us a chance to establish our Emergency Operations Center and will remind residents about preparing for an emergency,” said Vail Police Chief Dwight Henninger.Vail Resorts has offered two buildings to the Emergency Management Division of the Colorado Department of Military and Veteran’s Affairs, which is coordinating the event. The Sunbird building, which at one time contained employee housing and commercial space, as well as the Vail Associates administrative building will serve as interactive classrooms for emergency rescue personnel.Both buildings had already been slated for demolition in May to create space for the new RockResorts project, the Arrabelle.The exercise, funded by Homeland Security, is an opportunity to test local, state, and federal emergency resources.”It gives state and federal participants an opportunity to explore the complexities and challenges that can be found in smaller communities while providing a venue for Vail and Eagle County to polish their first responder capabilities,” said Stuart Pike, Homeland Security Exercise Coordinator with the Colorado Department of Military and Veteran Affairs.To deter panic, the Town of Vail is planning a community awareness campaign prior to the exercise, and public safety officials will test the reverse 911 system by contacting Vail households and businesses affected by the collapse.Other agencies scheduled to participate in the training include the Eagle County Emergency Management Office, Colorado Division of Emergency Management, Vail Police, Vail Fire, Urban Search and Rescue Team and the FBI.– Vail Trail staff reportIt’s not very often that you hear about an emergency a few weeks before it happens. But there is no faster way to react and rescue those affected.For example, a collapsed building in Lionshead among all the construction could be disastrous, affecting a billion-dollar renovation plan and the lives of those working and living in the area.Such is the case from May 21 24, when a planned crisis, a simulated construction site accident, will serve as a training exercise for nearly 200 local, state and federal emergency workers.”This will give us a chance to establish our Emergency Operations Center and will remind residents about preparing for an emergency,” said Vail Police Chief Dwight Henninger.Vail Resorts has offered two buildings to the Emergency Management Division of the Colorado Department of Military and Veteran’s Affairs, which is coordinating the event. The Sunbird building, which at one time contained employee housing and commercial space, as well as the Vail Associates administrative building will serve as interactive classrooms for emergency rescue personnel.Both buildings had already been slated for demolition in May to create space for the new RockResorts project, the Arrabelle.The exercise, funded by Homeland Security, is an opportunity to test local, state, and federal emergency resources.”It gives state and federal participants an opportunity to explore the complexities and challenges that can be found in smaller communities while providing a venue for Vail and Eagle County to polish their first responder capabilities,” said Stuart Pike, Homeland Security Exercise Coordinator with the Colorado Department of Military and Veteran Affairs.To deter panic, the Town of Vail is planning a community awareness campaign prior to the exercise, and public safety officials will test the reverse 911 system by contacting Vail households and businesses affected by the collapse.Other agencies scheduled to participate in the training include the Eagle County Emergency Management Office, Colorado Division of Emergency Management, Vail Police, Vail Fire, Urban Search and Rescue Team and the FBI.– Vail Trail staff report


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