Emergency Services Drill 10/21/16-10/22/16

For Immediate Release

The Town of Abingdon, Virginia will be hosting a two day emergency services drill in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management this Friday, October 21^st and Saturday, October 22^nd. The drill will be conducted each day from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM in the cul-de-sac of the Stone Mill Business and Technology Park on French Moore Jr. Boulevard. A portion of French Moore Jr. Blvd. from the last crossover to the cul-de-sac area will be closed starting Thursday, October 20^th at 5:00 PM until the conclusion of the drill. The road closure will not impact businesses in this area.

The drill will involve police at the state and local levels, paramedics, fire departments, bomb squads, and hazardous materials teams from our region.  These drills are used to rehearse anticipated emergency scenarios. In addition, they are designed to provide training, reduce confusion, and verify the adequacy of emergency response activities and equipment.  Remember that this is only a drill, but you may hear loud sirens and noises. Do not be alarmed!

Motorists may see large numbers of emergency service vehicles entering French Moore Jr. Blvd. from Jonesboro Road.  Motorists frequenting this area should be alert for signage limiting access in the drill area, slow their speeds, and not impede traffic during the drill.

For questions about the drill, contact Jack Tolbert, Hazmat Officer for VDEM, at 276-328-2329.