Los Angeles County public safety agencies began participating Monday in a statewide, five-day emergency drill, simulating the response to a bio-terror attack.
The “Statewide Health & Medical Response” exercise was scheduled prior to the Paris terror attacks, and, according to a California Department of Public Health official, all simulations will go forward as planned.
In addition to the CDPH, state agencies slated to be involved include the California Highway Patrol and the California Office of Emergency Services.
The five-day event will focus on identifying best practices to ensure the most rapid and efficient response to an anthrax attack, according to state officials.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provided a five-year grant to fund the exercise, which officials characterized as the largest of its kind ever conducted in the state. A smaller scale version occurred last year in the Bay Area.
Entities in Los Angeles County participating in the drill include the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Pasadena.
Other entities slated to participate include:
— Riverside County;
— Orange County;
— San Diego County;
— Imperial County;
— Mono County;
— San Bernardino County;
— city of San Luis Obispo;
— city of Santa Barbara; and
— Ventura County.
According to state officials, most operations were being held indoors today, including communication exercises such as emails, phone calls, and staff meetings.
As the week progresses, the drill will expand, requiring participants to deploy to various areas.
Temporary medical facilities will be established, and first responders will react to mock mass casualty situations, according to state officials.
Some participants will be clad in chemical protection suits and masks to create as much realism as possible, officials said, emphasizing that members of the public should not panic.
CDPH officials said it is hoped participants will come away from the exercise with stronger communication links regionally and elsewhere.
—City News Service