March 5, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2003-14) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION R. Steve Huffman Public Information Officer (251) 208-5806/Fax: (251) 208-5813 E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org MULTI-AGENCY HAZ MAT DRILL TO BE CONDUCTED As part of the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency (Mobile County EMA) 120-Emergency Response Plan there will be a multi-agency hazardous material drill conducted at Degussa Corporation in the Theodore Industrial Area on Thursday, March 6, 2003 beginning at approximately 8:30 a.m. Mobile Fire-Rescue Department Haz-Mat Response Team, Mobile Police Department, Mobile County Sheriff's Department, along with other agencies, will be participating in the drill. The purpose of the drill is to test not only the response and skills of emergency responders but also to test notification of the public through local media in the event of an actual haz-mat emergency. Mobile County EMA will be activating the emergency sirens, as well as, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the county as part of the drill. Radio and TV stations are asked to make announcements and/or do screen crawls to notify the public that the activation of sirens are part of the drill and no emergency is taking place. Due to strict security procedures at the Degussa Plant any media representatives who plan to cover this drill will need to contact Keith Jones at 443-4005 to get prior clearance to enter the property. This will require viewing a short video and receiving a pass. These are Degussa's rules and will have to be strictly adhered too or you will not be allowed on the property. ###