September 10, 2001 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2001-61) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION R. Steve Huffman Public Information Officer (251) 208-5806/Fax: (251) 208-5813 E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org MULTI-AGENCY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS DRILL TO BE CONDUCTED The Weapons of Mass Destruction Task Force (WMD) will be conducting a Multi-Agency Domestic Preparedness Drill, Wednesday, September 12, 2001. The Federal required chemical weapons full-scale exercise is scheduled to take place at the Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds. The exercise is a four-hour interagency drill set to begin at approximately 6:00 p.m. and end at approximately 10:00 p.m. and will focus on the initial field level response to a chemical weapon terrorist incident. The purpose of the drill is to exercise and evaluate comprehensively the community of Mobile's capability to respond to an act of chemical terrorism in a public setting. It will also provide a learning environment as a valuable training tool for responders and hospital personnel. The participants will include a number of local, state, and federal fire service, medical and law enforcement agencies, including 2 local hospitals and the transport of approximately 100 victims divided among each. The WMD Task Force is comprised of Officials from Mobile County Emergency Management Agency, Mobile Fire-Rescue Department, Mobile Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The drill and exercise will be observed and monitored by an exercise control organization selected by the Federal Government. A number of fire, hazardous materials and terrorist scenarios will be used in the exercise. IMPORTANT TO MEDIA REPS: The media is encouraged to participate and cover the exercise but as part of the exercise guidelines will be required to have a "media escort" at all times while in the exercise area. Mobile Fire-Rescue and WMD Task Force Spokesperson Steve Huffman will be assigning "media escorts" at the exercise site. NOTE: Anyone traveling in that particular area or living nearby should be aware of this so as not to cause any panic. EXERCISE PARTICIPANTS City Agencies  Mobile Fire-Rescue Department  Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Response Team  Fire-Rescue Communications  Public Information Office  Mobile Police Department  Tactical Response Unit (TRU)  Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detail  Criminal Investigations Section  Identification Unit  Police Communications  Public Information Office County Agencies  Mobile County Emergency Management Agency  Mobile County EMS  Mobile County Sheriff's Department (MCSD)  9-1-1 Communications  Mobile County Health Department  Environmental Health Services  Mobile County Medical Examiners Office Federal Agencies  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Mobile Field Office  United States Coast Guard Hospitals  Mobile Infirmary Medical Center  University of South Alabama Medical Center Private/Voluntary/Non-government Agenices  American Red Cross-Mobile County Chapter  The Salvation Army ###