Stafford County Conducts Full-Scale Shelter Exercise

Stafford County prioritizes public safety excellence and continuously trains and practices to achieve high states of readiness. Recently, on October 3, 2025, Stafford County conducted a full-scale shelter exercise in coordination with several community partners, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD), Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS), and St. Peter's Lutheran Church. These partners are all entities that would step up to help provide shelter services for residents Stafford County during an emergency or crisis.

This exercise tested several facets of the County's Shelter Operations Plan, including facility and equipment set-up, survivor transportation, needs assessments, registration, case management and healthcare services. Over 200 personnel, including exercise staff, players, and role-players, participated in this all-day event, an enormous undertaking that required many components.

Lessons learned from the exercise will be incorporated into various Mass Care improvement efforts, including plan revisions, equipment purchases and staff training. Stafford County would like to thank all the local, regional and state agencies and partners that participated in the exercise planning process and provided staff and resources during the exercise itself.

Please direct any questions to the Stafford County Office of Emergency Management at [email protected] or (540) 658-7200.