December 12, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer, Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Area Safety Agencies Finish Up Two Day Mock Terrorist Exercise

On the three-month anniversary of the 9-1-1 terrorists attacks the Caddo-Bossier Office of Emergency Preparedness, the Shreveport Fire Department, and other local, state, and federal agencies, including law enforcement, hospital services, and military wrapped up a two-day mock terrorist exercise that all involved are giving high marks.

The exercise, conducted Monday and Tuesday at Shreveport’s Expo Hall, consisting of scenarios involving chemical, explosive, and biological weapons. Its purpose was to evaluate the area’s ability to react and respond to a terrorist act in the Caddo-Bossier area.

According to Shreveport Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, area residence should take comfort in knowing that agencies in our area are working in a cooperative effort to assure that in the event of a terrorist attack that everything that can be done will be. "The spirit of inter-agency cooperation has never been more apparent," said Cochran. Undoubtedly, the events of September 11^th played a role in the Caddo-Bossier Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP)decision to host the workshop exercise.

According to Caddo-Bossier OEP Director Chuck Mazziotti, due to the events of September 11^th and the continued acts of threats of chemical and biological terrorism, the exercise was necessary to stress and reevaluate the area’s ability to handle a true community wide terrorist act. "The workshops provided participants the opportunity to evaluate chemical and biological terrorism response concepts, plans, and capabilities as addressed by public safety department’s and hospital guidelines and SOPs," said Mazziotti.

The exercises simulated actual incident, with time lines and updated decisions having to be made by the participants, mostly made up of heads, or upper level officers of agencies. Scenarios were based off of government designated Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) incidents and emphasized the coordination of local emergency responders, critical decisions, and the integration of agencies at every level. The exercises were divided into three modules with module one consisting of warning and incubation, module two with notification and initial response, and finally module three being the response.

At the end, those who attended the exercise seemed pleased with the results. "There is always something new we learn from each one of these exercises, but with each one we come closer to realizing our full potential in having to deal with such incidents," said Cochran. Individual function groups, such as fire service, law enforcement, and health and hospitals took with them assignments to foster an ongoing strategic plan for improvement that they will submit to the Caddo-Bossier OEP office upon completion. ###