Law enforcement, emergency management and hospital district personnel will be involved this afternoon in an “active shooter” drill in and near the Boles Independent School District.
The Hunt County Sheriff’s Office is joining Hunt Regional Healthcare, the American Red Cross and the Boles ISD in conducting a large scale training exercise near the area of State Highway 34 and FM 2101.
The drill will involve multiple police, fire and EMS vehicles and personnel traveling into and out of the area.
Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks said the public is being alerted to the drill, to help alleviate the potential for alarm. Meeks said that all law enforcement and emergency management operations will continue normally during the exercise.
During the afternoon hours a portion of FM 2101— from State Highway 34 to approximately five miles north — will be closed to all non-emergency traffic.
American Red Cross officials said Tuesday it was joining in the drill to test the agency’s ability to support families after such a crisis, including the “Safe and Well” system. During the simulated event, Red Cross teams will set up computers with Internet access so that parents participating in the exercise can click on www.redcross.org and conduct a search for their missing loved one.
The goal of the “Safe and Well” system is to help reunite families separated because of a disaster as quickly as possible.
Additionally, Red Cross teams will also be present at the Emergency Operations Center in Hunt County and provide snacks and water to first responders participating in the exercise.