Eastern officials are planning on having numerous emergency vehicles and personnel swarming the campus Tuesday; however, it will only be a drill.

According to a press release from Eastern, the drill will be part of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s 2012 State Level Exercise. The exercise is held annually and rotates through different parts of the state.

Vicki Woodard, coordinator of public information, said in an email that the drill is expected to start around 8 a.m. and be over by noon. There will also be a press release at 3 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union for those with questions about the exercise.

According to the press release, the drill will be the first time a drill of this magnitude will take place on campus. There will be sirens, simulated gunshots, a helicopter flying overhead and warning messages sent out through email and text messages.

The messages will have disclaimers letting recipients know the emergency is only a simulation.

There will be no parzking on Seventh Street between Johnson and Grant avenues.

Woodard said the drill has been in preparation for two years and will be more extensive than the annual emergency training that many campus employees go through.

“We want to be be prepared,” Woodard said. “This helps strengthen our emergency preparedness and helps our interaction with emergency organizations.”

She said the exact details of the drill will remain a secret until the exercise starts in order to better simulate a real-world emergency.

“We don’t want to give the game away ahead of time,” Woodard said.

Eastern’s emergency management team will be called together as they would be in a real-life emergency and will respond as if the situation was real, Woodard said.

In the press release, William Weber, vice president for business affairs, advised those on campus not to be surprised by what they see.

While the specifics of the drill are still under wraps, members of the Charleston City Council said during their meeting Tuesday that the drill will simulate shooters and hazardous waste.

Woodard said Eastern is doing as much as it can to let people know about the drill beforehand so they do not panic or get confused. She said they are using social media outlets and posting information on Eastern’s website.

“We are doing the best we can to blanket the campus and let them know it’s a drill,” Woodard said.

She said after the exercise is completed, Eastern will be able to look back and find where they can improve.

“We’re not going to point fingers or find fault with an individual, but find ways to improve,” Woodard said.

Seth Schroeder can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].