Wabash District #348 students and staff will take part in a countywide emergency response exercise when school resumes in August.
During Monday morning's Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer reported that the district is working with Wabash County emergency management officials to conduct a large-scale emergency simulation on August 24th.
Bleyer said the exercise will involve multiple agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, ambulance services, hospital personnel, and other first responders. While details are still being finalized, the event is expected to be held at one of the district's school buildings and will likely be conducted as a half-day exercise.
The superintendent stressed that the simulation will not be a real emergency and said the district will make every effort to notify the public in advance. He plans to begin reminding residents about the exercise in July to avoid confusion.
School Resource Officer Eric Emmons is coordinating the event.
Bleyer said a similar exercise was held several years ago and provided valuable training opportunities for both school personnel and emergency responders.
While the exact scenario has not yet been determined, Bleyer said it will likely involve some type of emergency response situation. He noted that organizers are still deciding what type of incident will be simulated and how the exercise will be structured.
The primary purpose of the drill is to allow first responders to practice their response procedures in a school setting, while giving district staff an opportunity to observe and assist.
Students are scheduled to begin the 2026-27 school year on August 14th, with teachers reporting August 12th.