Southeast Polk Families and Community,
We want to inform you about an upcoming event happening in Altoona. On Friday, October 25th, Polk County Emergency Management will conduct a full-scale active threat exercise hosted at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. While this exercise doesn’t affect any of our schools, you may notice an increased presence of emergency vehicles in the area. Please see below for details regarding this event.
Countywide Active Threat Full-Scale Exercise To Be Conducted October 25
Polk County Emergency Management, in collaboration with host Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, will lead a full-scale exercise of response capabilities to an active threat incident. Over 15 state and local first responder agencies will be participating in the exercise on Friday, October 25.
The exercise is planned to run from 8 AM to 2 PM in and around the horse barns and dormitories area south of the Prairie Meadows Hotel, in Altoona. The exercise is the culmination of over a year of planning, training opportunities, and discussion with law enforcement, fire, and EMS agencies from around Polk County.
Anyone around the Prairie Meadows complex, and near the area of Prairie Meadows Drive, 8th Street SW, and 25th Ave SW in Altoona on October 25 should expect to see uniformed law enforcement and fire/EMS personnel participating in the exercise. Police and fire vehicles, and ambulances, including lights and sirens will be utilized intermittently in the area. However, all exercise activity is planned to remain on restricted access property and should not impact any public roads, sidewalks, or pathways.
