Palo Verde Plant exercise will need volunteers at Buckeye High

Maricopa County, Arizona – On Thursday, March 5, 2009, emergency responders from state, local and volunteer agencies will be on campus at Buckeye High School to exercise evacuee reception center operations for potential emergencies at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station.

Emergency planners are hoping to involve 200 volunteers to simulate evacuees, assist with registration, or act as guides during the exercise.  Interested parties are encouraged to contact John Padilla of the Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management at 602-273-1411 for more information and to register as a volunteer.

The Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management coordinates response and recovery activities through implementation of emergency response plans during and after emergencies. Implementation requires the support and assistance of many other county departments, local jurisdictions, the private sector and volunteer agencies.

Maricopa County has a population of approximately 3.7 million. It is the 4^th most populous county in the US and 14^th largest in land area.

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