Anti-terrorism exercise begins

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) - A full-scale anti-terrorism exercise began Tuesday in Hampton Roads. The exercise will test local, state, and federal response efforts in maritime, hostage, and mass casualty scenarios.

The exercise wil run through Thursday at different locations in Hampton Roads and involve more than 400 participants and actors, a news release from the governor's office said.

The three-day exercises will simulate a maritime terrorist threat, a building barricaded by a hostile group that has taken hostages, and a mass casualty event that requires conduct of victim extraction operations, triage, and treatment.

Approximately 75 actors will play wounded hostages, while local, state, and military agencies respond.

The $2.3 million in funding for the 2011 Hampton Roads Full-Scale Exercise came from the Department of Defense 2010 Appropriation Act. Planning for the exercise began 18 months ago.

“An exercise of this magnitude will stretch the boundaries of the Commonwealth's ability to act before and during attacks as well as natural disaster emergencies,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs & Homeland Security Terrie Suit. “Our goal is to test ourselves now, so that if an emergency actually does occur, we are ready to respond to the situation.”

Participants include representatives from hospitals, police departments, fire and rescue departments, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Maritime Administration, U.S. Navy, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Virginia Fusion Center, Virginia National Guard, Tidewater Emergency Medical Services Council, Virginia Port Authority/Maritime Incident Response Team, Old Dominion University Police, and State Police. Participating cities include Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and York County.

The Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs & Homeland Security facilitated the expenditures in partnership with overall management from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. The Naval Post Graduate School’s Center for Asymmetric Warfare provided overall planning and coordination to deliver the final exercise series.