Posted on 09/21/2004 7:24:51 PM PDT by lost in the snow
Mock attack will test terrorism response Monday, September 20, 2004 By Lynn Moore CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER Terrorists will strike a busload of students in the Whitehall area on Tuesday, killing more than a half-dozen and sending dozens more to hospitals.
It's not a crystal ball that allows such a disaster to be foreseen. It's all in the plans -- disaster preparedness plans, that is.
The disaster won't be real, but it will look real, and the participants -- including students, emergency room personnel and firefighters -- will act as if it's real.
The exercise, one that is becoming familiar in the post 9/11 era, is part of attempts by emergency responders and Muskegon County school districts to prepare for the worst.
The exercise, which will involve the aftermath of a supposed explosion on a school bus at 9:30 a.m. at Durham and Holton-Whitehall roads in Whitehall Township, is being funded by homeland security grants awarded to several area school districts and Muskegon County.
Local school district transportation directors instigated the exercise because they wanted to test their abilities to respond to emergencies, said Tom Spoelman, transportation consultant for the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. They eventually hooked up with Muskegon County Emergency Services, and planning for the event has been under way for about a year, Spoelman said.
The exercise will test not only school transportation directors, but also the Muskegon County Emergency Operations Plan, which involves many agencies throughout the county.
About 60 middle and high school students from Reeths-Puffer and Whitehall public schools will be part of the exercise, according to Kristin Tank, public information coordinator for the MAISD. Local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, human service agencies, transportation services and medical services will participate.
Students from Muskegon Community College and Reeths-Puffer will assist in applying makeup to add to the reality of the gruesome scene. Between 200 and 300 people will observe the exercise, including school bus drivers, school administrators, emergency personnel and evaluators from agencies across the state who will provide feedback.
The exercise will simulate an attack by a fictitious radical group called Wackos Against Schools and Education who believe everyone should be homeschooled. Under the scenario, a bomb is placed on the bus and is detonated while the bus is traveling on Durham, causing the bus to land on its side and fill with smoke.
The exercise will begin with the bus -- an out-of-service vehicle donated by Ravenna Public Schools -- on its side, having been placed there by Dale's 24 Hour Towing Service, which is donating its time and resources. Fire departments will respond and test their abilities to get at victims inside a mangled bus.
Hackley and Mercy General both will be able to test their new emergency rooms, each of which will get between 15 and 20 "victims." Eight or nine deceased students, represented by mannequins, will be transported to the county morgue, Tank said.
Frantic parents will be part of the staged disaster, flocking to schools and hospital emergency rooms.
The exercise is similar to an event staged a year ago at Heritage Landing that involved a mock chemical disaster, which also was the supposed work of terrorists and tested the county's emergency preparedness.
White Lake Fire Authority Chief Bob Phillips said his department is lucky to be heavily involved in Tuesday's exercise by virtue of the location planners chose.
"The potential exists (for a devastating incident) every day the school buses are on the road," Phillips said. "It's not something that happens a lot, but it's something we need to be trained in.
"That's what we're hoping for is to learn what works and what doesn't work before an incident actually happens."
© 2004 Muskegon Chronicle.
No apology needed, and we appreciate getting word on stuff that doesn't look right.
To make matters even worse it "is being funded by homeland security grants awarded to several area school districts and Muskegon County". The government should not be funding this insult to homeschoolers.
Still, I'm more amused than angered.
I think it just shows the mindset of those who are involved in the government "Homeland Security".
They're more concerned about parents who homeschool their children than duplicating the real event of a school takeover by Islamic militants that happened in Russia just about a week ago...
How about "Bigots"?
Gives... Daniel Stout, Director of Emergency Services
stoutda@co.muskegon.mi.us
Mushegon Area Intermediate School Dist. List of contacts.
I was more amused too JenB 'cause it's just so ridiculous.
It is a GOOD link - try it again.
I have already sent them a few words on this, also copied; Laura Ingram , Rush, Savage, Howie Carr, Hannity and HSLDA
While I've known some fellow homeschoolers who might be part of slightly odd groups, the chance of us being behind terrorism is about the same as government school test scores being higher than ours.
People always say humor has to have truth. Sometimes things are funny because they've clearly got no truth at all. Homeschool terrorists. Ha!
I know. see my other posts.
They can say that it is just make-believe, but can you imagine the outcry if they used Muslims as the mock terrorists? Or imagine using a group of African-Americans who want to kill whites? Or feminists who want to kill men? Does a group of homeschoolers wanting to kill school children make any more sense or seem any more fair?
"Re: "attack by a fictitious radical group called Wackos Against Schools and Education who believe everyone should be homeschooled. Under the scenario, a bomb is placed on the bus and is detonated while the bus is traveling on Durham, causing the bus to land on its side and fill with smoke. "
How about NEA union thugs blowing up the bus, because the taxpayers won't give in to their extortion demands? How about that for a "fictitious" libel? Stupid, mean spirited, pompous, rat!"
My Congressman supports these clowns. I wrote my note on a check to his Republican opponent. As far as this scenario goes, if they want to be light hearted about it, they should have the bombing done by NEA union thugs. Thugs upset, because the taxpayers didn't give in to their extortion demands.
My Congressman supports these clowns. I wrote my note on a check to his Republican opponent. As far as this scenario goes, if they want to be light hearted about it, they should have the bombing done by NEA union thugs. Thugs upset, because the taxpayers didn't give in to their extortion demands.
I don't often post either, but believe me this info has been making the rounds of many homeschooling boards already today.
As both a homeschooler *and* military mom of two on "active" duty, military sister whose brother is in Iraq, and military aunt, I'm *not* amused. Neither is anyone else I've talked to. :(
Why not call the obvious? Or are we afraid of offending the Practitioners of the Religion of Peace?
Yeah, really.
Can we have a mock eradication of Islam too!
Why not call the obvious? Or are we afraid of offending the Practitioners of the Religion of Peace?
Yeah, really.
Can we have a mock eradication of Islam too!
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