BUCKFIELD – Buckfield Junior-Senior High School Principal George Reuter hosted Oxford County emergency management personnel and American Red Cross officials Saturday as they demonstrated their ability to operate the school as an emergency shelter.

Members of the Community Emergency Response Team from Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner have taken special training in shelter operation. Members of the Oxford Hills Community Emergency Response Team observed the exercise and played the roles of evacuees. They will soon take training so they can operate the high school in Paris as a shelter.

Team leader Clay Schneider said Buckfield High School is an excellent facility to use as a shelter. It is well laid out and equipped for the purpose.

The emergency management agencies from Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner supported the successful Homeland Security Grant application for a generator to provide power to the school. Cots, blankets and other equipment needed are kept in trailers around the country to be distributed as needed. The trailer kept in Paris was used for this exercise.

Red Cross spokesman Bruce Peters said arrangements are in place with Wal-Mart, Hannaford and other companies so truck loads of food or other supplies can be delivered from their warehouses as needed by the shelter. Supplies for initial operation are on hand at the school. If roads are blocked, supplies will be flown in by helicopter.

Oxford County EMA Director Scott Parker discussed the full-scale exercise that will be held in October. It will involve about 250 people and the Emergency Management organizations of three counties, will require opening the shelter in Buckfield to receive evacuees from Canton.

Local team secretary George Jones III said more volunteers are needed to staff the shelter. He encouraged people to take the free training that prepares them to help themselves, their families and their neighbors in an emergency, and to participate with the group training to operate their shelter.

Information on community emergency response team training may be obtained from the Oxford County EMA at 743-6336 or its Web site: www.megalink.net/~oxctyema/.