COLUMBIA — The Boone County Office of Emergency Management hosted over 80 public safety organizations for its fifth iteration of the "Boone County Ready Festival" at Cosmo Park in Columbia on Thursday.

The festival website says the goal of the event is to " recognize everyday heroes in the response and preparedness fields while fostering preparedness and building resiliency in our community."

The festival has loads of family-friendly activities, including being able to tour the inside of military vehicles and medical helicopters, and even magicians.

However, the event is not all fun and games. Matthew Brown, a training and exercise specialist for Boone County Community Emergency Response Team, says the event is also somber.

"It is meant to memorialize Tom Hurley, the former emergency

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