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Safety officials hold simulation exercise
First responders held a simulation exercise at Georgia State University in an effort to always stay prepared for the possibility of a nuclear explosion.
ATLANTA - Federal, state and local officials participated in simulation training event that will prepare metro Atlanta officials to respond to a nuclear explosion.
It is a possibility nobody wants to fathom, how would Atlanta and Fulton County react to a nuclear explosion? How much damage would it do? How many lives would be lost, and how would we begin to recover?
That is what first responders discussed during a tabletop simulation exercise at Georgia State University on Thursday. The hypothetical explosion happened at Interstate 75 near the Chattahoochee River.
"This is about preparedness. This is about the Department of Defense working with local civilian authorities, working with the state National Guard and integrating so when something happens regardless of what it is we are ready if called to serve in the homeland, we already have relationships established," Lt. Col. Eric Miller of the US Northern Command replied.
In the event of a nuclear disaster, first responders will roll out decontamination areas for individuals and animals, special needs area, family assistance centers and an official public information source.
"The time to be meeting is not when the incident happens. This is about establishing relationships, seeing how civil organizations can work together seeing the gaps within the two systems that would not be identified any other way," the Lt. Col affirmed.
The Department of Defense said 40 organizations collaborated on this training exercise, with many never working together before.
This tabletop exercise is the beginning, come November these first responders will actually be involved in a full scale exercise with deployment elements this year.
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