Alexander County Emergency Management hosted the 2026 HAZMAT Response and Decontamination Exercise on May 19. The exercise began with a discussion-based session involving emergency service leadership focused on hazard recognition, containment, evacuation, public messaging, emergency gross decontamination, and technical decontamination operations.
Those plans and discussions were then put into action that evening during a full-scale exercise simulating a motor vehicle accident involving a hazardous material release. Responders conducted patient evacuation, gross decontamination, triage, and technical decontamination as part of a coordinated multi-agency response.
Alexander County Emergency Management could not conduct exercises like this without strong partnerships and support. NC Emergency Management provided HMEP grant funding to support equipment used during the exercise. Assistance with personnel and equipment was also provided by Alexander County Maintenance, Alexander County Board of Elections, Alexander County NC Fire Marshal’s Office, Consolidated Health and Human Services, Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Alexander County Emergency Medical Services, Alexander Rescue Squad & EMS, Inc., Central Alexander Fire Department (Station #30), and Catawba Valley Community College.
Alexander County Emergency Management would also like to thank the Alexander Central High School Fire Academy for providing role players and allowing students to participate in training activities that support their HAZMAT certification efforts.
Exercises like this help strengthen coordination, communication, and preparedness capabilities, ensuring responders are better equipped to protect the public during real-world incidents involving hazardous materials.