BioterrorismOregon drills first responders for bioterrorism attack

First responders to a bioterror attack drill collecting samples // Source: baike.com

A three day drill called the Portland Area Capabilities Exercise (PACE), simulating a terrorist attack involving a biological weapon, will take place across fifty different facilities and sixty-five jurisdictions in the state of Oregon.

Officials say the exercise is the largest to be conducted since 2007.

“Exercises such as this are critical to identifying strengths and weaknesses in our response capabilities and to understanding the complexities of multi-state, multi-agency incident response operations,” Scott Porter, director of Washington County Emergency Management and co-chair of the exercise process, told the Oregonian.

Tuesday was reserved for the planning and set up of the exercise, and the drill itself will be conducted on Wednesday and Thursday. The events will not be open to the public, but will be to the media.

The events will include:

• First responders will triage, decontaminate, and treat patients at a simulated mass casualty incident. In addition to ground ambulances, LifeFlight helicopters will land at the camp.
• Portland Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Node (BEECN) will have volunteers set up a tent and radio equipment at one of Portland’s forty-eight BEECN’s
• The Washington County Emergency Operations Center will conduct a behind the scenes look at the how the county organizes the region’s response.
• More than 100 high school students will participate, presenting various symptoms to first responders. Thirty victims will be evacuated to hospitals for decontamination by medical personnel. Two students will make the trip via LifeFlight helicopter.
• Tigard POD, or Point of Dispensing: Volunteers will distribute mock medical countermeasures to participants.
• Fort Vancouver Police and fire teams will remove simulated victims for triage and treatment.

“We want to make sure if and when this happens we are prepared as possible, Kama Simonds, spokeswoman for the Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization told the Oregonian. “It’s not an exam with a grade; it’s an opportunity to see where we can improve.”

Neighboring Washington State will conduct its own annual Bioterrorism Exercise, in which emergency managers and first responders will react to an unfolding bioterrorism event. The exercise will involve local and state public health, emergency managers, hospitals, and law enforcement.