Kiowa residents may get strange warning from Harvey Co. Friday

KIOWA, Kan. (KSNW) — A large-scale exercise involving multiple counties will take place in Barber County Friday.

Barber County County Emergency Management says emergency services, law enforcement, and the hospitals in Kiowa and Medicine Lodge, will be participating in a large-scale Hazmat response exercise. During the exercise, Kiowa residents will receive an emergency alert via phone or email from Harvey County because Harvey County is responsible for emergency alerts in the region.

The exercise itself will involve a simulated accident between a school bus and a semi-truck and will take place on North 8th Street near the High School. Residents in Kiowa and the surrounding area will see first responders rushing to the area.

Non-toxic smoke will be released during the simulation. Emergency management wants residents in the area to be aware of the exercise and, if they do receive the alert from Harvey County, that it is not a scam but a legitimate message that was sent as part of a training exercise.

The exercise will take place Friday starting at approximately 4 p.m.

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