WIU in the News

Colleges/Departments

Upcoming Alumni & Friends Events

Popular Links

Recent Alumni & Friends Around the World Events

• Los Angeles & Friends Event
• Denver Alumni & Friends Event

Los Angeles Alumni & Friends Event

Campus Participates in Full-Scale Emergency Exercise

Western Illinois University, in collaboration with the McDonough County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), participated in a full-scale emergency operations exercise May 27 on the WIU-Macomb campus.
 
The simulation included multiple shooters in Waggoner and Currens halls; a chemical release in Currens; emergency responders from campus, Macomb, McDonough County, the region and the state; and 100 cadets from the Great Lakes Naval Base who were the actors, portraying the students and shooters.

It was the first multi-agency exercise training done in Illinois, and IEMA exercise training officer Martin Dwyer said, "I'm very pleased. For the first time doing this at this level, it went extremely well."
 
Schools are required by law to do annual training, according to Dana Biernbaum, assistant vice president for administrative services and chair of Western's Emergency Operations Planning Team. The full-scale exercise will likely be held
tri-annually, with tabletop and other exercise options done in the other years.
 

Back to top