Just a drill: UK running a full-scale emergency exercise at Kroger Field today

If you see an alarming number of police cars, fire trucks, and emergency crews around Kroger Field this morning, don’t panic. Lexington isn’t suddenly hosting a surprise event, filming a new police show for network TV, or dealing with a crisis. It’s just a drill.

The University of Kentucky is running a full-scale crisis exercise today, November 20, beginning around 8 a.m. and continuing into the afternoon. UK Police, Fire, EMS, role-players, and several campus partners will be out there practicing how the university would respond to an emergency situation. It’s all planned, all controlled, and all part of UK’s effort to keep everyone safe.

So, if you’re driving by or heading to class, expect to see more flashing lights than usual on that side of campus. You may notice emergency vehicles staged around the stadium, groups of responders, or role-players acting out parts of the scenario. Everything will be clearly marked. Still, it may look more intense than the average Thursday morning on campus.

Parking lots around Kroger Field will also be impacted, so plan for a little extra time if that’s part of your usual route. UK says day-to-day campus operations will remain open and safe despite all the activity.

“These exercises are about more than just response time,” UK Police Chief Joe Monroe said. “They test communication under pressure, the flow of information, how different agencies work together, and ultimately, how we protect our students, faculty, staff and visitors when it matters most.”

The university also encourages students, staff, and fans alike to review the Emergency Response Guide, sign up for UK Alert, and check out the SafeZone app. UK says its goal is realism, coordination, and improvement.

Read more: UK Police Department to lead multi-agency full-scale crisis exercise November 20