Montgomery County Holding Four Days of Health Emergency Drills
By John McDevitt
PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) -- If you saw people in hazmat suits in Plymouth Township last night, don't worry: it was only a drill.
According to Montgomery County officials, it was the start of four days of exercises testing emergency responses and coordiantion in the event of an actual health-related emergency.
County officials say the exercises were planned a year ago, so Ebola is not among scenarios. Instead, they were rehearsing for an outbreak of plague.
"We just want folks to know it's not related to any of the current health concerns that are in the news," says Montco public relations coordinator Jessica Willingham. "But we are hoping that all the coordination and learning that comes out of this is helpful for us to deal with real-life health related and public safety related events."
She says signage alerting passersby of a drill is posted in areas where exercises are being conducted.
The drills are being done to test response and coordination among agencies in the county and with the Environmental Protection Agency.