The Sidney Police Department gathered with local government agencies and partners earlier this week to participate in National Incident Management System (NIMS) training, to better prep for potential threats and hazards.
“The COVID-19 pandemic increased the importance that all entities communicate and operate within the National Incident Management System from the local, state, and national levels,” Sidney Police Chief William Balling said.
Previous events in the region include frequent tornado outbreaks and mass casualty incidents, but NIMS (the National Incident Management System) can also be utilized for planned events such as parades, tree lightings, and festivals.
“Recent events in Wisconsin and Michigan again demonstrate the need for ongoing training as we gather to celebrate, but we must plan for the worst,” Balling said.
The agencies that participated in the NIMS training were the Lockington Fire Department, Miami County EMA, Shelby County EMA, Village of Anna, Shelby County Health Department, Shelby County Amature Radio, Wilson Health, and the City of Sidney. The training was conducted by Marc Burdiss from Preparedness Solutions and sponsored by the Shelby County EMA and Shelby County LEPC.
Kristy Fryman, who will be the new Shelby County EMA director in January, advised that conducting exercises and training is vital because they allow people to identify and address issues to be better prepared for real-world emergencies.
“In addition, a team of trained staff will enhance our response capability, which will result in better serving our community. The Shelby County EMA/LEPC will continue to work with our local and state partners on getting the necessary training scheduled and conducted,” Fryman said.
According to Balling, the training exercises helped the agencies that participated—the Sidney Police Department included—in two ways: allowing the opportunity to learn how to better respond to an emergency, and allowing the opportunity to learn from each other and form relationships that will be needed in the event of any critical incident or emergency.
“As the chief of police, I understand that we are only good as the people we have and the relationships we have built. I commend the Shelby County EMA for their continued support and guidance to help support and develop our emergency response services,” Balling said.
