First responder training exercise at Ocean County Mall Sunday
(File photo courtesy of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)
First responders will descend on the Ocean County Mall in Toms River to conduct a training exercise Sunday morning.
The purpose of the exercise, which is designed to simulate real-life scenarios, is to test and evaluate the local emergency response, according to Ralph Stocco, Toms River Police Department spokesman.
Role players will act as potential criminals and victims during the drill, which will occur between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m, Stocco said, adding that the event will be “realistic looking.”
“It is important to periodically conduct these exercises on a large scale so that the different township agencies can fine tune their skills while working in a large group emergency situation,” he said. “The results of this operation will be evaluated, and any necessary changes to emergency response protocol will be put into place in the future to better protect our residents and first responders.”
Participating agencies include the Toms River Office of Emergency Management, EMS Division, Toms River Police Department, and Toms River fire departments, along with employees of Simon’s Ocean County Mall.
The Ocean County Mall regularly opens at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday.
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