The Illinois National Guard and multiple city, state, federal, and private agencies will take part in simulated disaster and terrorist attack emergency response exercises this week in the Chicago area.
The training operation, known as Illinois Prairie North 2010, began on Sunday and will continue until Thursday, June 17.
Over 50 agencies are expected to take part in the operation. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the American Red Cross, medical centers, and a number of city and state emergency management teams and task forces are among those deployed for the exercises. Poland and Latvia will also aid in the operation, to practice international cooperation during a disaster.
“This realistic training exercise is necessary to ensure that Illinois is prepared to protect the public from, and mitigate the consequences of, an act of terrorism or other major disaster. All the different agencies are expected to learn valuable lessons on how to best work together if or when a real disaster should befall the area,” said the Illinois National Guard in a statement.
The operation began with a simulated commercial airplane crash. The plane “crashed” in the downtown area of Oak Lawn on its way to Midway Airport. Debris and casualties were scattered throughout the area. The Oak Lawn Fire and Police Department, and the National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological/Nuclear, and Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) responded on site. Medical centers provided trauma medical response.
On Tuesday, there was a simulated take down of a meth lab in Bensenville. The CERFP and 5th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (CST) were deployed. There was a VIP demonstration tour for media and government and international distinguished visitors on Tuesday.
There will be a simulated terrorist attack in Bensenville on Wednesday and the Illinois Tactical Response Team is expected to vanquish the terrorists. The CERFP and 5th CST will respond to the “simulated building collapses with trapped victims” and perform “high angle and structural collapse rescue.” Rush University Medical Center will decontaminate and treat “biological agent patients.” International aid will come from Poland and Latvia.
On Wednesday, the Chicago Police Department and their K-9 unit will detect simulated explosives on a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train. The device will detonate, “causing derailment of the train with possible contamination—release of anthrax and mass casualties requiring police, search and rescue, HAZMAT, and fire to respond,” according to the itinerary for the operation. This will take place from 10pm Wednesday to 4am Thursday.
A second exercise in Bensenville is scheduled for Thursday. There will be a simulated chemical explosion at Nalco Chemical Company. CERFP and the 5th CST will respond.
Roads will be closed and there will be restricted access into Bensenville.
The training operation, known as Illinois Prairie North 2010, began on Sunday and will continue until Thursday, June 17.
Over 50 agencies are expected to take part in the operation. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the American Red Cross, medical centers, and a number of city and state emergency management teams and task forces are among those deployed for the exercises. Poland and Latvia will also aid in the operation, to practice international cooperation during a disaster.
“This realistic training exercise is necessary to ensure that Illinois is prepared to protect the public from, and mitigate the consequences of, an act of terrorism or other major disaster. All the different agencies are expected to learn valuable lessons on how to best work together if or when a real disaster should befall the area,” said the Illinois National Guard in a statement.
The operation began with a simulated commercial airplane crash. The plane “crashed” in the downtown area of Oak Lawn on its way to Midway Airport. Debris and casualties were scattered throughout the area. The Oak Lawn Fire and Police Department, and the National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological/Nuclear, and Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) responded on site. Medical centers provided trauma medical response.
On Tuesday, there was a simulated take down of a meth lab in Bensenville. The CERFP and 5th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (CST) were deployed. There was a VIP demonstration tour for media and government and international distinguished visitors on Tuesday.
There will be a simulated terrorist attack in Bensenville on Wednesday and the Illinois Tactical Response Team is expected to vanquish the terrorists. The CERFP and 5th CST will respond to the “simulated building collapses with trapped victims” and perform “high angle and structural collapse rescue.” Rush University Medical Center will decontaminate and treat “biological agent patients.” International aid will come from Poland and Latvia.
On Wednesday, the Chicago Police Department and their K-9 unit will detect simulated explosives on a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train. The device will detonate, “causing derailment of the train with possible contamination—release of anthrax and mass casualties requiring police, search and rescue, HAZMAT, and fire to respond,” according to the itinerary for the operation. This will take place from 10pm Wednesday to 4am Thursday.
A second exercise in Bensenville is scheduled for Thursday. There will be a simulated chemical explosion at Nalco Chemical Company. CERFP and the 5th CST will respond.
Roads will be closed and there will be restricted access into Bensenville.
Friends Read Free