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The Great Falls area is home to several dams which provide electricity and control water flow - but what would happen if one of those dams broke?

Through a simulated disaster exercise held in Great Falls on Wednesday, emergency management teams were able to rehearse that scenario. The simulation was based on what would happen if a dam was breached and started flooding.

Leo Dutton, the Sheriff of Lewis & Clark County, noted, "It's amazing that you can get in this room and then create the stress. As you can see behind me you have five people talking to you at once. It teaches you to prioritize, evaluate and then communicate."

Communicating with the press to get the word out about evacuations was also crucial to this exercise.

Making sure of this was Maureen Krum with the refinery's Emergency Spill Response Team. She said, "As the exercise continues we just are trying to maintain, make sure people are not in danger, and trying to keep the refinery out of the river, which is a good thing environmental-wise."

She's working with other companies that share space along the river, including BNSF and EnergyWest, to make sure everything stays under control.

Another key element in any disaster situation is preparation by area residents; Sheriff Dutton says to make sure you have an evacuation plan along with supplies to last at least 72 hours.