Volunteers commended

Dear Editor,

I'd like to commend all of the people who participated in the mock disaster at the Trenton ethanol plant last weekend. It was a simulated tornado touchdown, planned and executed by Patrick D. Gerdes of the Region 15 Emergency Management Agency and funded by a homeland security grant.

There were EMS personnel and firefighters from McCook, Red Willow Western, Culbertson, Trenton, Stratton and Hayes Center; evaluators from the plant and participation by the Hitchcock County Sheriff's Department. Patients were treated (some decontaminated) and transported to the hospitals in McCook and Benkelman with full staff cooperation and execution from the respective hospitals.

Red Willow set up and manned its decontamination unit and the McCook Fire Department demonstrated a rescue on a mannequin from the top of one of the silos with their ladder truck.

The victims (some moulaged up with fake injuries) were from the McCook Boy Scouts, plant employees and an HCHS student.

In all, more than a hundred folks from the area prepping, practicing and getting ready in case a real emergency happens.

The event began around 10 a.m. with a call out for storm spotters, and ended around 3 p.m. after a review and lunch catered by Marlene's Kitchen. It was a long day, but worth it! There are lots of caring people in the Southwest Nebraska community ready and willing to help others in times of need.

Cliff Johnson,

Trenton