Training will bring first responders in the area to the high school.

Wednesday, Oct. 3, a mock disaster will strike Star Valley High School. The incident will result in victims that need medical help as well as students and staff that need to be evacuated to a safe zone.
A communications and command center will be established. First responders from a variety of different organizations will put their training to the test.
“What we have planned is a full scale emergency response exercise,” said Steve Malik, exercise design coordinator. “We want to see how well the emergency plans we have in place are, and see what improvements need to be made.”
The high school was selected as a training location for a variety of reasons.
In the case of a disaster, getting children to safety is a high priority for parents, school officials and first responders. The school is also one of the biggest buildings in Star Valley and its intricate hallway system and the number of people in the building provide unique challenges when it comes to evacuation.
“Basically, we figure that if our emergency plan for the high school works then we are in good shape,” said Malik. “It is an excellent training area and we like working with the school district.”
The training exercise will have a law enforcement element as well as fire victims. Students and staff will be evacuated to the middle school. A sweep of the building will be done to make sure that everyone is out.
“We anticipate that the training exercise will last about two hours,” said Malik. “We will start at 9 a.m.”
The training is under the direction of Lincoln County Emergency Management.
For more information on the Oct. 3 training exercise, contact Steve Malik at 885-3626.