An “Active Shooter Training Exercise” and full-scale “Mass Casualty Drill” will be conducted Wednesday (August 9th) between the hours of 12:00 noon and 4:00pm in Cherokee County

The staging scene will be the Cherokee County Health & Rehabilitation Center, at 877 Cedar Bluff Road in Centre.

WEIS Radio News spoke with Corporal Matt Peek about that exercise Tuesday morning and he informed us that this has been some time in the making – every Cherokee County agency – law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, Rescue Squad literally every type of first responder, in addition to a number of outside agencies – will be taking part.

It’s been quite a few years since a training exercise of this magnitude has been conducted in Cherokee County and Peek says this will hopefully become something that’s done locally on a regular basis in the future – because in times of emergency, all first responders need to be at the top of their game, and training is a big part of reaching, and maintaining, that level.

Everyone is encouraged to spread the word that Wednesday’s activity at the nursing home is merely a training exercise and a drill, and there’s no need to panic – nothing is wrong.

Again, be aware that the large contingent of law enforcement and emergency vehicles you’ll see throughout the day at the location – 877 Cedar Bluff Road in Centre – is simply part of a training exercise and drill.