Video: ICC Conducts Mock Disaster Drill

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) — Flames shooting from a classroom, students trapped in a room, the threat of a possible bomb. They are all the worst nightmare for a college administrator, staff and parents. That’s why schools at almost every level plan and practice for almost every potential threat.

The call came about 10 a.m. Friday morning reporting a fire in Itawamba Community College’s Health Science Education Center on the Tupelo campus. First responders quickly filled the scene as the emergency spread.

It’s all part of a mock disaster training drill, which began as a building fire and escalated to the removal of a bomb.

“It’s the responsibility of the college to be ready for any incident that may arise. There’s no better way to be ready than to practice your emergency preparedness and that’s the reason we have these events to give our emergency personnel an opportunity to work with local law enforcement, fire department, other first responders in resolving these incidents,” said Dr. Buddy Collins, Vice President of Student Services.

ICC has a number of emergency procedures in its comprehensive plan, and this drill is another way to put those policies into practice.

“Every time we have one, whether it pertains to equipment, communication needs, or what have you, we have made improvements every time we have had one of these mock incidents,” said Dr. Collins.

ICC’s mass text notification system also was tested.  Student Affairs Director, Dr. Brad Boggs, says ICC Alert is a critical tool in any emergency.

“You’re able to utilize that by pressing one button and able to send out a mass message to all, which would be students, faculty, staff everyone on campus,” said Dr. Boggs.

Boggs says that overall, the drill ran smoothly but administrators aren’t satisfied.

“We’re always able to find out some little points and things that we need to work on and that’s the reason we have these drills, is so we’re able to polish ourselves up and in the event we were to have an emergency, we’re able to respond appropriately,” said Dr. Boggs.
This was the college’s third major drill since 2009.

ICC administrators also want to thank Tupelo first responders for their participation in the mock drill.

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