By MaryHelen Swanson

Last week, on a cool afternoon with intermittent snow and sunshine, a horde of emergency vehicles gathered at the Rushseba Town Hall parking lot. Emergency personnel from the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Chisago and Pine county sheriff departments and Lakes Region EMS were ready and waiting for a signal to go into action.

It looked like the real thing, but it was ... just a drill.

The Minnesota Correctional Facility in Rush City conducted its first large-scale emergency response training drill.

Warden Bob Feneis said the prison holds regular internal training, but this drill was different because it involved the outside agencies.
It took planning to pull off such a large drill, but Feneis said planning was somewhat limited, as there was value in learning how each group would respond more spontaneously.

Minnesota corrections facilities try to conduct such drills at least once a year. Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Joan Fabian was also on hand for the drill. This was her first experience of a large scale exercise.

3:30 p.m.
The mock incident started when a perimeter officer "found" a piece of rope on the exterior fencing. About 10 minutes later a "hole" was discovered in the fencing.

The prison was put in lockdown and a standing count began during which time it was discovered that three offenders were missing. Two from Complex 3 had created "dummies" in their cell. An investigation would eventually try to discern if the three were working together or if these were separate incidents. The warden said they tried to be as realistic as possible in setting up the drill, while keeping the staff safe.

The SORT or special operations response team, was called in by pager. The RC facility has on call about 40 members of such a team. (During the November 2003 disturbance, within 25 minutes about 25 of the SORT members had responded to the prison.) At this point a search is underway both inside and outside of the facility.

Adding to the intensity of the situation, Feneis said that during the count, a fourth offender would be found in his cell with a rope around his neck,

4:30 p.m.
The call came in. The offender is not breathing, medical staff at the prison respond and begin CPR which is continued, even in the mock drill, until the paramedics from Lakes Region EMS arrive and take over.

Shortly after the EMTs arrive, one of the paramedics pronounces the inmate dead.

With offenders shouting from their cells (all were locked in for the drill) a death scene was being practiced from RM 152 1E.

Prison program director Greg Smith explained how an inmate might have a rope to hang himself. It could be made from things the prison provides such as clothing or sheets. In his 20 years in corrections, Smith has seen 13 deaths. He said internal health personnel must keep doing CPR until somebody with authority comes on grounds and pronounces the offender dead.

During the drill, the prisoners were all fed in their cells. It was obvious that some of them were not pleased with having to be confined to their cells.

5:30 p.m.
The Pine County Sheriff Department's canine unit is patrolling the exterior areas. SORT members and prison dogs are searching inside.

In Complex 3, RM 156, Officer C. Somerson is standing guard on the crime scene where the two dummies were found. The door is sealed with crime scene tape as they wait for the OSI staff (office of special investigation) to arrive.

As the mock drill continues, the discovery of the homemade dummies, and the discovery of the hole in the fence, sets everything in motion.

The EMTs arrive in Complex 1. About this time officials from the county sheriffs' offices and BCA also enter Complex 1.
Once the offender has been pronounced dead, the door is secured with crime scene tape. Investigators will come and begin the process of determining the cause of death and if it had any connection with the three escapees.

Inside and out, the search for the three offenders continues.

During the drill, the prison visiting room becomes the staging area. All available staff report to this center for assignments. On this day, Lt. S. Yozamp, who was receiving his directions from the operations leader, was sending some 36 staff to various duties. CO K. Anderson was assigned as recorder.

During an incident, although the facility is in lock-down, everything must go on as normal as possible with staff taking over the duties. Shortly before 6 p.m., two staff members report back to the staging area, they had been at the front entrance waiting for the ambulance. "Mission complete, ready for reassignment," they say.

6:00 p.m.
The first of the escaped offenders is found in the north industry area. He has no weapon and is not injured,
In the Command Post on the second floor of the administration building, a roomful of people is busy receiving and documenting information as the drill continues.

6:23 p.m.
The second offender has been found at 520th St. and Hwy. 361 about 3/4 mile from the prison. The drill continues, the participants are taking the practice seriously.

Back on the first floor, in a large training room, the Rush City citizens who form the liaison committee between the community and the prison, have gathered. This group meets quarterly throughout the year.

On this day they are greeted by the warden and DOC commissioner Fabian. Warden Feneis tells them that the process of the training is to solve a problem together. He assigns the citizens the role of media and tells them they are going to be able to ask the questions that television and newspaper people would ask.

The media briefing, he said, would not be held on the prison property, but a location nearby.

Feneis is hopeful that by 8:30 p.m. the three escapees would be found and that preliminary investigation would be done into the death of the fourth inmate.

Fabian was impressed with how seriously everyone took the exercise. She said as they got into it, it was almost as if it was real. She was also impressed with the active community advisory group.

"We try to prepare for a situation we anticipate won't happen," Feneis told the citizens.

The event continues with RC program director Tim Gorr and Liz Bogut, communication director from the DOC, entertaining questions at the mock press conference. Gorr does a rundown of the event giving the details about the captures. At this point, they have apprehended the one in the industry area, and the one about 3/4 mile away from the facility.

He notes that the search dogs have picked up a scent near the airport.

Citizen Helen Leier asks how often a count is done. Gorr says 6 times in 24 hours. Citizen Phyllis Bohaty asks why the one inmate did not get out. Don't know, was the reply.

Gerald Parkin asks if the one not captured is dangerous. Gorr says he would consider him dangerous, but it would be very unlikely that he would have a weapon. Warden Feneis assures the group that the prison's armory is secure.

Citizen Jim Ertz says prior to the prison opening, the community was told it was "virtually" impossible for a prisoner to escape.
Gorr tells him that RC is one of the highest secured facilities in the state (there are 8 adult facilities) and public safety is number one. He also said there is no 100 percent guarantee there will never be an escape.

7:30 p.m.
A call comes in to the warden, the drill is over, the third offender has been found and the command post is being dismantled. The citizen group is hustled upstairs to try to catch a glimpse of what just went on in that room.

Outside the prison, as a brilliant setting sun sends light rays into the evening sky, the law enforcement participants gather at the State Patrol van. For the first time in hours, there are smiles and relaxed attitudes. Inside the prison, staff is preparing for a debriefing.

Warden's comments
About 100 participants gathered for a debriefing at the end of the exercise. Everyone thought it was a valuable drill, Feneis said. He feels it was an overwhelmingly positive and good experience for everyone.

Individuals are now e-mailing specific comments which will all be considered in the final evaluation.

"All in all," Feneis said, "I think it was a good thing."

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