UAMS hosts emergency drill Tuesday with 'explosion,' 'intruders'

Multiple agencies will be involved in an emergency exercise Tuesday afternoon on the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences campus in Little Rock.

The 4 p.m. drill will include staged scenarios involving a "non-lethal 'flash bang' grenade" and armed intruders near the UAMS Biomedical Research building, which is located on the northeast part of campus near Jack Stephens Drive and Plateau Street, according to a statement from the university.

"The detonation [of the grenade] will cause a loud noise and a flash of light but there will be no vibration or threat to any person or building in the vicinity," the news release states. "Intruders armed with fake weapons will enter the building as part of the exercise."

Those participating in the exercise include UAMS police and emergency management; fire, police, hazardous materials teams and emergency responders from Little Rock, North Little Rock and Pulaski County; Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services; Arkansas State Police; Arkansas Department of Health; the FBI; Department of Energy; the Little Rock Air Force Base; War Memorial and others, such as local hospitals.

Ron Crane, Emergency Preparedness Manager for UAMS said a drill like this had never been done in central Arkansas.

"This is a huge undertaking. We have over 1,000 people participating today," he said.

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