Garrett County Prepares for Upcoming Multi-Agency Emergency Response Training Exercise

Underwater egress training does not require advanced swimming ability or technical expertise; its central challenge is maintaining mental control while upside down, underwater, disoriented and unable to see or hear effectively.
A participant who panicked during the dunker exercise was initially referred to mental-health services, but later improved through visualization, performance breathing, self-talk, cognitive reframing and gradual exposure—illustrating that situational anxiety does not necessarily indicate a mental-health disorder.
The Garrett County exercise will take place at the former Adventure Sports Institute International at the top of Marsh Mountain in McHenry, with residents warned to expect increased emergency-vehicle activity and to use caution because the exercise is not an actual emergency.
Frontline training applies to a broad range of workers—including retail employees, nurses, warehouse staff, manufacturing operators, hospitality workers, logistics teams, field technicians and customer-service agents—covering onboarding, compliance, technical skills, customer service and continuing development.
Parenta managers Layla MacFadyen and Rosie Presland each completed the Level 5 Operations Departmental Manager Apprenticeship with Distinction while leading full-time teams; MacFadyen heads training advisers, while Presland leads customer-success strategy across the company’s software and training divisions.
Emergency responders in Garrett County, Maryland, will participate in a major multi-agency training exercise on September 8–9, 2026, designed to test command, communication and coordination during complex incidents Local Authority. The drill will take place at the former Adventure Sports Institute International on Marsh Mountain in McHenry, with residents warned to expect increased emergency-vehicle activity and cautioned that the exercise is not an actual emergency.
Organizations now view training as an ongoing process to build competence, resilience and safety—not a one-time box to check. High-stress exercises combine realistic pressure with mental techniques like visualization, controlled breathing and self-talk to help responders perform under anxiety Emergency Management Institute.
Underwater helicopter-escape training exemplifies this approach. Participants do not need advanced swimming ability, but they must maintain mental control while upside down, underwater and disoriented. People who panic during dunker exercises can improve through visualization, performance breathing and gradual exposure—showing that situational anxiety does not necessarily mean a mental-health disorder National Transportation Safety Board.
The September 8–9 drill will evaluate how multiple agencies coordinate during a realistic complex-incident scenario. The exercise focuses on command structures, interoperability between departments, resource coordination and communication under pressure Maryland Emergency Management Agency.
The venue—the former Adventure Sports Institute International at the top of Marsh Mountain in McHenry—provides realistic training terrain. Local residents should expect heavy emergency-vehicle traffic during the two-day exercise and avoid the area, as first responders will be fully engaged in the drill Garrett County Sheriff.
Beyond public safety, businesses prioritize structured training for retail employees, nurses, warehouse staff, manufacturing operators, hospitality workers and customer-service agents. These programs cover onboarding, compliance, technical skills and continuing development amid labor shortages and rising expectations Society for Human Resource Management.
Training providers strengthen their own credibility by applying their models internally. At Parenta, managers Layla MacFadyen and Rosie Presland each earned distinctions in the Level 5 Operations Departmental Manager Apprenticeship while leading full-time teams—MacFadyen heads training advisers and Presland leads customer-success strategy Parenta.
Publishers
18
Articles
7
Reach
25