Local first responders assemble training exercise

HENDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Residents of Henderson County and Lexington may have seen a large group of emergency vehicles Saturday morning, but it was only for a training exercise.

First responders from the county and the city assembled at the old airport and conducted a full-scale emergency response exercise.

The controlled exercise was meant to prepare them for a real incident, while locating spots where they might need improvement.

Saturday’s scenario was a car wreck that turned into a hazmat scene.

“What we’re doing today is, we’re checking the awareness of our first responders first arriving on the scene, to make sure their knowledge in recognizing a hazmat situation is accurate and current,” said Cody Usery, the training officer at the Henderson County Fire Department.

Usery says around 40 first responders were involved.