Large-scale emergency drill begins today
More than likely, it will be early.
Klaeger is one of dozens of county officials taking part in today’s CBERNE drill, a multi-scenario disaster exercise designed to train local first responders and their counterparts from across Central Texas.
The exercise, which will last about 12 hours, won’t have an impact on local residents, though officials say people in some areas may hear warning sirens or see colored smoke.
“It’s a big deal,” Klaeger said Thursday. “We’ve never had an exercise of this scope before. In fact, we’ve never had an exercise with people on the ground.”
CBERNE stands for Chemical, Biological, Explosive, Radiological and Nuclear. Several local governments — including Burnet County — combined their Homeland Security funding four years ago to create four CBERNE teams, which respond to large-scale disasters anywhere in the Capital Area Council of Government’s 10-county service area.
All four CBERNE teams will be in the county today, responding to four separate disaster scenarios.
“Even I’m not sure what the scenarios will be,” Klaeger said.
The events — which will take place around Granite Shoals and Cottonwood Shores — will be timed according to a staggered schedule. Local first-responders will be called first. Once they arrive on location, they’ll call for additional help from the CBERNE teams.
“It will help us learn how to interact with the other agencies,” Klaeger said. “We’ll work with a group of experienced professionals. At the same time, they’ll learn how to work with us in a relatively rural area.”
Lower Colorado River Authority spokeswoman Krista Umscheid said LCRA police and facility workers will also take part in the exercise.
“Drills like this are very valuable to LCRA, because it allows us to test our organization’s emergency response plans just like everyone else,” Umscheid said. “Plus, this way we can do that in an environment that doesn’t put your employees in harm’s way.”
Umscheid said LCRA crews will respond to a simulated disaster at a Highland Lakes dam.
“We obviously get involved anytime you have something that affects the dams, or any scenario that involves water quality,” she said.
Burnet County was chosen as the site of the drill earlier this year, and local officials have joined CAPCOG planners for more than six weeks of preparation.
After the exercise is complete, officials will meet Nov. 14 to discuss how the situation unfolded.
“I don’t have a doubt in my mind that we’ll do well,” Kleager said. “We’re ready to go.”
chris@thepicayune.com