Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office officials hope they never have to put lessons learned from Operation Smith Creek into practice, but if they do 10 members of the law enforcement division and their supervisors will be better prepared.
On Friday, Feb. 26, a tabletop exercise was held in the Emergency Operations Center for shift leaders as well as members of fire protection, EMS and the Department of Health.
Michael McHargue of Disaster, Strategies and Ideas, LLC (DSI) led the discussion, which was based upon the Alabama Massacre of March 2009 where a serial killer spanned the two communities of Geneva and Samson and killed 10 people before turning the gun on himself.
Discussion centered on how officials would coordinate a multi-jurisdictional investigation that spanned 12 hours.
Later in the day, the exercise moved to practical experience for the 10-law enforcement members who traveled to a remote part of Smith Creek to work on three different scenarios that included radio communications limitations and a lack of law enforcement back-up.
McHargue’s scenario included a mock fire that turned into a homicide scene when victims were discovered burned inside. It also linked to two other seemingly unrelated events in other locations.
Emergency Management Director Scott Nelson said catastrophic events “could happen here” and agencies must be prepared to act.
The exercise, said McHargue, gives “response partners a chance to have boots on the ground when something happens” to provide an effective response.
“We’re having a lot of these (massacres) around the county and we’ve got to be ready to roll.”
Chief Deputy Donnie Crum selected the Alabama scenario because of similar population and geographic statistics between the Alabama counties and Wakulla.
Wakulla County Commissioner Lynn Artz attended both portions of the training session and represents the voters of Smith Creek.
“I’ve become more educated about what the community problems are out there,” she said. “I’m just here to learn.”
Sheriff David Harvey called the training “invaluable” and added that the sheriff’s office conducts training exercises on a regular basis.
“It’s like getting in a fight,” he said. “The next time you get in a fight you are better prepared.”
Making the trip out to Smith Creek from the law enforcement unit were: Det. Erica Fore, Deputy Taff Stokley, Deputy Derek Lawhon, Deputy Charles Porter, Deputy Ian Richards, Deputy Jerry Morgan, Deputy Nathan Taylor, Det. Melissa Harris, Deputy Josh Langston and Deputy Billy Metcalf.
DSI team members were part of the practical exercise as they examined the sheriff’s office’s ability to coordinate a series of hostile threats and other incidents using the full range of responder departments. “This includes the integration of incident objectives, personnel, equipment and a single message about the incident to the community and elected leaders,” McHargue said.
The 10 exercise participants were selected to go to a home along Highway 375 to address three scenarios that had been set up for them, including investigating a stolen vehicle, bodies inside the home and an ambush by “bad guys.”
“This is designed to help you succeed,” said Major Maurice Langston to the law enforcement officials as they waited their turn to go to the exercise site from the Smith Creek Fire Station. “It is not designed to make you fail. This is going to make you better.”
DSI team members reviewed each exercise as deputies reacted to what they had at the scene. At the end of the exercise, each deputy reviewed his or her activities with the DSI team members to discuss their strong points and where weaknesses could be improved.