FAST FACTS:
Inmates evacuated from Shelby County Jail during drill exercise
Evacuation helps prepare for natural or man made disasters
Homeland Security helped develop evacuation plan
( Memphis 12/12/2009) - 130 inmates in the Shelby County Jail were evacuated today. It wasn't because of some kind of problem. It was a drill. The sheriff has always had an evacuation plan but this is the first time he's carried it out.
"We've had an evacuation plan and it tells you what stairs to go down and what doors to get out but it doesn't tell you what to do when you get out," said Sheriff Mark Luttrell.
About a year ago Homeland Security and sheriff's officials developed the plan. In carrying it out today, the sheriff integrated many of his divisions. His jail force laid out an additional layer of razor wire in the jail parking lot where inmates were evacuated. The tact squad and K-9 units were also in position and while all of this was going on outside the bomb squad was moving inside. They also used the opportunity to train by scanning empty inmate cells.
"Geographically this is a vulnerable area for earthquakes. We know terrorists activities and homeland security concerns. There are some possibilities that there may come a time that we have to evacuate this building," said Luttrell.
In this drill the inmates stayed on the property. The next drill will be different.
Luttrell said, "The focus on the next exercise will be if we have to relocate the population, if we have to move them to some place beyond this area, how are we going to do this."
Luttrell says they will critique this drill over the coming weeks and work on any deficiencies. As far as the inmates are concerned, there were no security threats but there were a few complaints from those forced to leave the warmth of their cells.
"A few people are chilly but we tried to minimize the amount of time outside and provide them coats," said Luttrell.
This is the first time ever inmates have been evacuated from the county jail for any reason. During a riot back in the early 90's, inmates were shuffled around inside the building but they were not evacuated.
( Memphis 12/12/2009) - 130 inmates in the Shelby County Jail were evacuated today. It wasn't because of some kind of problem. It was a drill. The sheriff has always had an evacuation plan but this is the first time he's carried it out.
"We've had an evacuation plan and it tells you what stairs to go down and what doors to get out but it doesn't tell you what to do when you get out," said Sheriff Mark Luttrell.
About a year ago Homeland Security and sheriff's officials developed the plan. In carrying it out today, the sheriff integrated many of his divisions. His jail force laid out an additional layer of razor wire in the jail parking lot where inmates were evacuated. The tact squad and K-9 units were also in position and while all of this was going on outside the bomb squad was moving inside. They also used the opportunity to train by scanning empty inmate cells.
"Geographically this is a vulnerable area for earthquakes. We know terrorists activities and homeland security concerns. There are some possibilities that there may come a time that we have to evacuate this building," said Luttrell.
In this drill the inmates stayed on the property. The next drill will be different.
Luttrell said, "The focus on the next exercise will be if we have to relocate the population, if we have to move them to some place beyond this area, how are we going to do this."
Luttrell says they will critique this drill over the coming weeks and work on any deficiencies. As far as the inmates are concerned, there were no security threats but there were a few complaints from those forced to leave the warmth of their cells.
"A few people are chilly but we tried to minimize the amount of time outside and provide them coats," said Luttrell.
This is the first time ever inmates have been evacuated from the county jail for any reason. During a riot back in the early 90's, inmates were shuffled around inside the building but they were not evacuated.
