May 23, 2011

Media Advisory -- Disaster Drill

Southern Illinois University Carbondale will participate in a joint full-scale disaster exercise beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 25. College Street between South Illinois Avenue (U.S. Highway 51) and Washington Street in Carbondale will be closed for the duration of the drill, which is expected to last three to four hours. We would appreciate your assistance in making the public aware of the street closure.

Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the disaster drill. The media staging area will be the parking lot immediately west of SIUC’s Glove Factory, which is located at 432 S. Washington St. -- across the street from the new Carbondale Public Safety Center.

In addition to the Department of Public Safety and other SIUC departments, these agencies and organizations also will participate in the drill: Carbondale police and fire departments, Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, Jackson County Health Department, Jackson County Ambulance Service, Air Medical Service, Mutual Aid Box Alarm System hazardous material response team, Carbondale Emergency Management Agency, Jackson County Emergency Management Agency, CN Railroad, Jackson County Coroner’s Office, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and Beck Bus Co.

The exercise meets requirements of the Illinois Campus Safety Enhancement Act and federal law to test emergency preparedness capabilities on an annual basis.