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Emergency Workers Practice Jail Evacuation In Ramsey County

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police, Firefighters and several other emergency agencies were on hand Saturday for what looked like a major jail evacuation -- but this was only a drill.

Emergency workers practiced responding to an explosion or fire evacuation at the Ramsey County Jail. Organizers said the drills help refresh everyone, including neighbors, on what could happen if inmates are needed to be moved quickly.

"This is really the expectation of the community -- the expectation of the loved ones who have inmates in our custody -- that we practice for this." said Joe Paget, Undersheriff with the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office. "In the event something like this happens, we can effectively and efficiently get people out of jail and get them to a new location, and get them back to some sort of normalcy."

Inmates weren't involved in the exercise. Instead, volunteers were brought in.

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