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.
I agree.
For those complaining about it: The shoe of bigoty hurts when it's on ones own foot, doesn't it?
Bigotry hurts when you're the target, doesn't it?
I'm proud to be a CHARTER MEMBER.
Well, I am having trouble remembering the last time that homeschool advocates committed a terrorist act against school children. However, I seem to remember that Muslim terrorits slaughtered hundreds in Russia recently.
And just what is THAT supposed to mean??????? By the emphasis on "you're the target" - are you implying that homeschoolers are bigots?
However, I seem to remember that meat-eating terrorits slaughtered hundreds in Russia recently.
I could go on...
Unless you, too, believe that all Muslims are terrorists.
It's still really dumb to role-play a homeschool terror attack. How many attacks have been carried out by homeschool terrorists, anyway? Doesn't it seem like they should be worrying about potential situations rather than impossible ones?
I like the suggestion someone here had: The exercise terrorist group would be "EMMA: Enemies of Mystery Meat Association."
Yeah, see, I think the point is they're so worried about being offensive to some groups but obviously homeschoolers are fair targets.
Maybe they should have used a fake group called "Wacko Chemist Geeks Out to Destroy the World" or maybe the "Insane Scientist Coalition of Message Board Posters".
No, it wouldn't be wrong. It would be based on reality. Terrorists are Muslims, even if all Muslims are not terrorists. You think this is a big joke - calling homeschoolers terrorists - don't you? That's just disgusting......
However - if they chose to ignore this FACT and be P.C. and use some totally made-up group..... That would be OK with me...
What I strongly disagree with is using a REAL group of citizens (homeschoolers) as terrorists when there is NO history of homeschoolers being terrorists (in spite of your experiences at school board meetings).... It is a CLEAR example of someone using their position to subtly besmirch a group that he detests.
No, not any more than I believe that all homeschoolers are exceptionally well-educated, but many are...especially my kids. ;-)
I don't believe that all Muslims are terrorists, but let's turn that statement around. What percentage of terrorists in this day and age are Muslim? Claiming there is no connection between the Muslim religion and terrorism is intellectually dishonest. Sorry.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.