Disaster response training involving the Nebraska National Guard and civil support teams from around the nation was conducted at UNMC and around the metro area last week. The Nebraska Public Health Laboratory hosted the drill taking place on campus.
“The Nebraska Public Health Laboratory was proud to support a recent full-scale, hands-on emergency preparedness exercise in partnership with the Nebraska National Guard’s 72nd Civil Support Team (CST), the FBI, and other key response agencies,” said Emily McCutchen, deputy director of NPHL. “This collaborative effort provided a valuable opportunity to simulate a real-world threat scenario and strengthen collective readiness. The NPHL worked closely with military and federal partners, contributed to the planning and setup of the training environment, and coordinated logistics to limit impact on UNMC operations.”
The multi-state exercise brought together CST units from Iowa, Alabama, Georgia, Guam, Kansas, South Dakota and Utah. Six distinct training sites were established across the Omaha metro, each featuring a different chemical or biological scenario to challenge participating teams. The scenario hosted by the NPHL involved a simulated laboratory culturing of Nipah virus.
Other metro-area locations where training took place included Durham Railyard, SumTur Amphitheater, Charles Schwab Field, the Nebraska National Guard’s North Omaha Readiness Center and Offutt Air Force Base.
“Participating in this type of joint training aligns directly with the NPHL’s mission to safeguard the health and safety of all Nebraskans from biological threat agents and other emerging public health risks,” McCutchen said. “These exercises are critical for building strong interagency relationships, strengthening communication under pressure, and testing response protocols in realistic conditions. We value the opportunity to contribute to a more resilient and prepared public health response system and are thankful for our UNMC partners who made this a successful exercise.”