Tufts to Conduct Emergency Drill Tuesday, June 4

According to information released by Tufts University, the school will be conducting an emergency preparedness training exercise on Tuesday.

The drill will be held in conjunction with the police and fire departments from Medford and Somerville and with the Cambridge Health Alliance, Somerville Hospital, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

The exercise will take place in the area of Tufts’ Pearson Chemical Laboratory and Michael Laboratory on Talbot Avenue, near the intersection with Latin Way on the school campus.

According to Tufts, there will be traffic restrictions on portions of Talbot Ave., Latin Way, and Lower Campus Road. Pedestrians will be able to access all buildings during the exercise, but may be directed to take a different route. Uniformed police officers will be present to direct vehicles and pedestrians to alternate routes.

Volunteers will pose as medical patients. No actual chemicals or hazardous substances will be used and there will be no simulated gunfire or explosions.

The simulation will begin at 10 a.m. and will end by noon. Emergency vehicles will begin arriving on campus at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

The exercise is one of many preparedness initiatives funded by a half million dollar grant from the US Department of Education. The project is also partially funded by a little over $200,000 in university operating funds.

The goal of this drill is to create a learning environment in which players can practice emergency response plans, policies and procedures, according to information released by Tufts. The exercise will test players’ response to a simulated, complex incident that involves multiple communities and agencies.

– InsideMedford.com