Franklin County Emergency Management in conjunction with multiple public safety agencies will be conducting a full scale hazardous materials response exercise in the Benton/West City area Saturday morning.

Ryan Buckingham, Franklin County’s Emergency Management Director, says the exercise will focus on a response to a hazardous materials transportation accident.

Buckingham says there will be an on-site simulated accident area and a response at Franklin Hospital in Benton. His office will also be coordinating with Williamson County EMA to have satellite exercise areas at Herrin and Heartland Regional Hospitals.

Once again this will just be an exercise and not an actual emergency taking place Saturday morning.