Los Alamos County representatives from law enforcement, first responders, dispatchers and staff from other County departments participate in a functional emergency exercise Tuesday at the Municipal Building. The exercise, developed by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), simulates a threat to the Los Alamos Canyon Dam. Engineering Associate Jennifer Baca ran the exercise. She explained that DPU holds an exercise every two years and it is either a ‘tabletop’ or ‘full functional’ exercise. This year’s exercise is a full functional one. After the exercise concludes, a ‘hot-wash’ or meeting is held to discuss its strengths and weaknesses. ‘This is testing our emergency action plan for the dam in case of a real event,’ Baca said. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

DPU staff simulate posting on social media regarding the status of a supposed threat to the Los Alamos dam during Tuesday’s functional emergency exercise at the Municipal Building. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com