Homeland Security Terror Drill
Jun 22, 2011 2:00:47 GMT -5
Post by ruusso on Jun 22, 2011 2:00:47 GMT -5
www.nationalterroralert.com/2011/06/16/police-swat-teams-blackhawk-helicopters-take-part-in-terror-drill/
www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2011/06/16/story-columbus-terror-drill-ohio-tsa.html?
Anybody with eyes/ears notice anything?
Police, SWAT Teams, Blackhawk Helicopters Take Part In Terror Drill
Thursday, June 16, 2011 5:30 PM
Updated: Thursday, June 16, 2011 6:43 PM
WBNS-10TV
MARIETTA, Ohio — Hundreds of law enforcement officers from across Ohio took part this week in one of the largest anti-terror-drills in the U.S. and the largest ever conducted by the Transportation Security Administration.
Their goal on Wednesday was to work together to protect the Ohio River and power plants near the Ohio-West Virginia border, 10TV's Andy Hirsch reported.
After a briefing at Rickenbacker Airport in Columbus, Hirsch was loaded on to an Ohio National Guard Blackhawk helicopter. A fleet of six helicopters traveled to the West Virginia state line where they met up with hundreds of federal, state and local agents.
"Almost every agency that would have anything to do with security or law enforcement are down in this area," said Don Baker, a TSA federal security director .
The mission was run from several mobile command centers that kept a real-time eye on the teams in the field. Some of the information that was discussed was so sensitive that 10TV News was asked to turn the camera off.
The goal was to have all agencies work together to protect the area from a variety of threats, including a terrorist attack.
"To be quite honest, with the death of Osama bin Laden, the threat, for me, has not changed," said Ohio Homeland Security Director Rob Glenn. "People should not be complacent."
Authorities said that the power plants near the Ohio River and key shipping routes along the river are vital to the U.S. economy and security.
"Probably half the companies in the Midwest somehow have their supply chain run down this river," Baker said. "A few miles upriver and downriver from here, there's a half dozen major power plants and these are some of the bigger power plants in the country. You knock one of the lock doors out on one of these dams, and you shut the Ohio River down."
Along Interstate 77, cameras scanned underneath trucks as the Columbus Bomb Squad K-9 unit searched for explosives. Everything was checked, and checked again, Hirsch reported.
"The more we understand and provide a potential deterrent for those that might want to tamper with infrastructure along the Ohio River, the better off the state and the nation will be," Glenn said.
According to the TSA, exercises like the one on Wednesday are held regularly.
www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2011/06/16/story-columbus-terror-drill-ohio-tsa.html?
Anybody with eyes/ears notice anything?
Police, SWAT Teams, Blackhawk Helicopters Take Part In Terror Drill
Thursday, June 16, 2011 5:30 PM
Updated: Thursday, June 16, 2011 6:43 PM
WBNS-10TV
MARIETTA, Ohio — Hundreds of law enforcement officers from across Ohio took part this week in one of the largest anti-terror-drills in the U.S. and the largest ever conducted by the Transportation Security Administration.
Their goal on Wednesday was to work together to protect the Ohio River and power plants near the Ohio-West Virginia border, 10TV's Andy Hirsch reported.
After a briefing at Rickenbacker Airport in Columbus, Hirsch was loaded on to an Ohio National Guard Blackhawk helicopter. A fleet of six helicopters traveled to the West Virginia state line where they met up with hundreds of federal, state and local agents.
"Almost every agency that would have anything to do with security or law enforcement are down in this area," said Don Baker, a TSA federal security director .
The mission was run from several mobile command centers that kept a real-time eye on the teams in the field. Some of the information that was discussed was so sensitive that 10TV News was asked to turn the camera off.
The goal was to have all agencies work together to protect the area from a variety of threats, including a terrorist attack.
"To be quite honest, with the death of Osama bin Laden, the threat, for me, has not changed," said Ohio Homeland Security Director Rob Glenn. "People should not be complacent."
Authorities said that the power plants near the Ohio River and key shipping routes along the river are vital to the U.S. economy and security.
"Probably half the companies in the Midwest somehow have their supply chain run down this river," Baker said. "A few miles upriver and downriver from here, there's a half dozen major power plants and these are some of the bigger power plants in the country. You knock one of the lock doors out on one of these dams, and you shut the Ohio River down."
Along Interstate 77, cameras scanned underneath trucks as the Columbus Bomb Squad K-9 unit searched for explosives. Everything was checked, and checked again, Hirsch reported.
"The more we understand and provide a potential deterrent for those that might want to tamper with infrastructure along the Ohio River, the better off the state and the nation will be," Glenn said.
According to the TSA, exercises like the one on Wednesday are held regularly.