A disaster drill is in the works for Leitch-field, and this time organizers want to make sure nobody's unduly frightened.

It has happened in the past when the long-planned drill fell on a day when thunderstorms made it all too real for some.

Twin Lakes Reg-ional Medical Center, in cooperation with local police and emergency services agencies, will soon be staging the mock disaster.

Before, when the "disaster" was anno-unced, people looked up, saw the dark clouds and thought it was the real thing -- a tornado.

Later, when they found out what was happening, several people were upset about the "reality" of the event and said, "Warn us next time you're planning to do this!"

Hence, this warning.

However, exact dates and times would take out the surprise necessary to test emergency workers' ability to react well and quickly to the real thing.

Here's what's coming down one day soon, according to Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center's Marketing Director Edna Duggins:

The disaster drill will involve a simulated fuel truck explosion and aftermath with numerous volunteer victims.

Participating in the drill with the hospital will be the Grayson County Disaster and Emergency Services (DES) Unit, the Leitchfield Police Department, the Grayson County EMS, and the Leitchfield Fire Department and Rescue Squad.

Representatives of the groups have been meeting to plan the drill for several months now.

Twin Lakes Regional is required by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations to hold disaster drills twice annually to test the hospital's procedures for handling a rapid influx of victims in a real disaster.

During a real disaster, coordination between all emergency agencies would be an absolute necessity, both at the scene and at the hospital.

Following the drill, key personnel from all the agencies involved will share information and discuss any ideas for response improvement.

Hospital Safety Officer George Goodwyn said every effort will be made at the time of the mock disaster to inform the public that the announced emergency is indeed a disaster.