Disaster simulation helping Alberta prepare for emergencies

EDMONTON — Some disasters require a massive and coordinated response. And that kind of organization requires preparation.

Government and non-government partners are practicing their emergency management processes this week with the Emergency Management Exercise 2020 or EMX20.

The annual exercise began Wednesday and continues through Friday at the Provincial Operations Centre. More than 350 people are expected to participate.

This year's simulation is that multiple tornadoes are affecting the Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary, requiring cooperation between many agencies and regions.

"This is a complex scenario," Scott Long with Alberta Emergency Management Association told CTV News Edmonton. "We always train for worst case scenario and we train hard."

Alberta has been running emergency management exercises every year since 2001.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Dave Mitchell