Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management hosting training exercises week of July 10

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - Residents are asked to avoid local first responder and law enforcement training that begins Monday.

From July 10 through July 14, the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management (PPROEM), El Paso County Hazmat, and local first responders are working with the 8th Civil Support Team to conduct a series of joint Hazmat and Law Enforcement exercises.

According to El Paso County officials, these exercises are to establish and refine valuable partnerships between local, state, and federal agencies in responding to incidents involving hazardous materials that could overwhelm local resources.

"The Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management is committed to ensuring optimal emergency response by regularly participating in trainings and collaborating with first responders in our community," said Andrew Notbohm, Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management Director in a press release. "Through regional collaboration and valuable exercises, we strive to create a safer and more resilient community, able to effectively handle times of crisis and emergency situations."

The exercises will happen in two phases, on July 11 and July 13 with responders participating in El Paso County. The major activities are intentionally planned to be conducted away from heavily populated areas, in the interest of safety. However, some aspects of the training might be noticed within the city.

About 70 volunteers and responders gathered to train in Colorado Springs for the potential of a real life hazmat scenario.  Colorado Springs Fire Department, El Paso County Hazmat, Colorado State Patrol, Fort Carson Hazmat and the Eight Civil Support Team from Buckley all in Colorado Springs to be a part of this training. 

Scott Stephens, Hazmat Coordinator for El Paso County said majority of the time hazmat crews are called in for spills that involve chlorine, and tar. So during the training they will be working with some of those fluids. 

"We have to plan for worse case scenario with every single one of those and each specific chemical is going to have it's own unique response characteristic that we are going to have to worry about," added Stephens.

Residents are advised there might be responder vehicle movement and operational response actions that could pose a danger to unsuspecting observers. People are asked not to enter areas marked "Exercise in Progress" or "TRAINING" for their safety and to not interrupt training.

Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management and Local First Responders Participate in Training Exercises