Many helped make exercise a success

Dear Editor,

As members of the Red Willow County Exercise Planning Team, we would like to recognize the following professionals for their help in making our school hostage exercise a success.

Those involved worked very hard to make the exercise a success and we would like to take this means to tell them. Dari Olson of Community Hospital, the crew of the Medstar helicopter. Nate Swanson, Eric Plautz, Dave Reisen plus their co-workers from NEMA and the Nebraska Department of Corrections, Sgt. Joel Smith and his officers with the NSP plus their bomb squad and Swat team, Sheriff Mahon and his officers, Ike Brown and the McCook Police Department, marc Harpham and the McCook Fire and Rescue, Bill Elliott and the Red Willow Rural Western Fire Department. McCook Public Works, John Bingham and his staff at the City EOC.

Dr. Don Marchant and Dennis Berry, along with McCook Public Schools and the drama class.

Also, to Betty Bradley and Ervin Fredde for their help on the day of the exercise. A special thank you to the Gazette, KICX and Coyote Country for their help, plus the citizens around the school who were so patients turning the exercise.

We as citizens of Nebraska and McCook can be proud of our first responders for taking the time to train and update themselves on the use of equipment that they use in day-to-day operations to keep us safe and secure.

Yours Truly,

Sheriff Gene Mahon

for the Red Willow County Exercise Planning Team.