FORT DRUM, NY —Â Dozens of Fort Drum directorates and organizations will be involved in a full-scale exercise, Aug. 12-15, to test the installation’s emergency response capabilities.
During this time, community members may see an increased volume of emergency, fire and police vehicles from Fort Drum, as well as from North Country agencies, as they respond to simulated incidents during the exercise.
“The disruption to installation operations and scheduled events should be minimal,” said Rich Hughes, Fort Drum emergency manager.
Fort Drum personnel and family members who have subscribed to the installation’s At Hoc Notification System will receive phone, text and/or computer alerts when the exercise begins. These alerts will also be posted on the Fort Drum app, which can be downloaded on Apple and Android phones. Soldiers can register themselves and their families for At Hoc emergency notifications by calling (315) 772-6070.
Hughes said that the annual readiness exercise will be based on a severe weather scenario.
“We’re using the most devastating natural disaster to hit this area of the country – the 1998 Ice Storm – as the scenario to test Fort Drum’s ability to take care of our Soldiers, families, retirees, civilian and contract workforce, as well as support the surrounding communities during a disaster while continuing to execute our mission,” he said. “To that purpose, we are exercising emergency response and recovery capabilities so that we have the necessary systems and resources in place to be resilient if and when it happens.”