Don’t panic: it’s only a drill

For three days this month, public safety agencies across the Dallas-Fort Worth region will take part in a full-scale emergency response exercise simulating terrorist attacks and mass casualty incidents.

The training event, called MetroX, will involve police and fire departments, emergency medical services, hospitals, school districts, dispatch centers, emergency managers and city officials across the region.

According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), the exercise will be held Monday, Oct. 27,  through Wednesday, Oct. 29, to test and strengthen regional preparedness, coordination and communication across all levels of emergency response.

“This will help test our systems, plans and capabilities to ensure we are ready as a region for any large incident or disaster,” NCTCOG Executive Director Todd Little said,

He said area residents may see and hear simulated gunfire, emergency vehicles, role players acting as victims and increased first responder activity near exercise locations.

“The public is asked to not be alarmed and to follow instructions provided by participating agencies if near an exercise site,” Little said.

NCTCOG Communications Supervisor Brian Wilson said the specific locations could not be released, but would involve

11 sites, 14 emergency operations centers, a regional joint information center and several hospitals. He said Collin County locations would include Plano, Frisco and McKinney.

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