Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
Aug. 20, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — City Hall, 414 E. 12th St., will be closed to the public from 8 – 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22, as it conducts an emergency drill for employees.

The 311 Call Center will also be closed during this time. Residents may still submit requests for service to 311 via other contact methods including email at 3-1-1.Call.Center@kcmo.org, on Twitter @KCMO311, online at www.kcmo.gov/311 , fax to 513-1303, or by the 311 mobile app.

The drill will help prepare city employees for an emergency, while also training employees on how to help City Hall visitors during an emergency event. Eric Hallerud, the city’s corporate safety manager, said in a press release the city is taking the appropriate steps to protect its employees and customers so if an emergency ever happens, “we can help ensure their safety.” Hallerud and the rest of the city’s Corporate Safety Office also hope the drill will reveal any safety concerns that may have been overlooked.

Members of the city’s General Services Department staff have been working for several months on details of the drill. Planning included not only the activities for the day of the drill but also educational components designed to prepare City Hall’s 600+ employees in advance. First responders from the Kansas City Fire Department will be on hand to assist with any actual emergencies that might occur during the drill.