Madison County holds final chemical weapons disaster drill

The Madison County Emergency Management Agency held its final disaster drill Wednesday as part of the federal Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP).

The exercise follows the destruction of all chemical weapons stored at the Blue Grass military depot last summer. The depot is destroying remaining secondary waste before closing its weapons storage facility.

Madison County Deputy Judge-Executive Jill Williams says this marks the end of a partnership that has existed since the 1990s. Federal CSEPP funding for county emergency services is expected to run out by June next.

“It really formed a united front and a community for Madison County and all the agencies that would respond to any type of emergency,” Williams said. “A colleague said to me this morning, 'Well, it's definitely a bit bittersweet, because we've all been doing this for so long, this is the last one, but we've also been waiting for this for so long. '”

Federal CSEPP funding for county emergency services is expected to run out by next June.

Williams says the county expects to keep emergency services operating as they currently do.

“We have the cream of the crop in terms of training, access to resources, etc., and we want to maintain that standard that was established through CSEPP funding,” Williams said.

County government passed an ordinance Tuesday intended to maintain funding for its emergency services, replacing its 911 landline fees with new service fees for all homeowners.

The new fees are expected to take effect in fall 2025.

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