On May 27, 2026, the South Florida Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), in partnership with the regional Hazardous Materials (HazMat) teams, local fire rescue departments, and a multitude of emergency management partners, participated in a full-scale exercise at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale to evaluate coordinated response capabilities during a simulated chemical exposure incident at a large public event.
The exercise challenged participating agencies to manage a complex scenario involving numerous symptomatic patients, requiring the establishment of incident command, hazardous materials assessment, mass decontamination operations, medical triage and treatment, and coordination with hospitals and emergency management partners. Responders practiced zone management, patient care, resource coordination, and regional communications while operating within a unified command structure.
By bringing together responders from multiple disciplines and jurisdictions, the exercise advanced the LEPC’s goals of promoting effective emergency planning, fostering interagency collaboration, and validating response capabilities through training and exercises. The exercise provided a valuable opportunity to assess regional preparedness, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and reinforce the importance of a coordinated, whole-community approach to hazardous materials emergency response. Lessons learned and best practices identified during the exercise will help inform future planning, training, and preparedness initiatives throughout the region.