Posted at 2:07 a.m., Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Guam takes part in terrorist response exercise
Associated Press
HAGATNA, Guam — Roads surrounding Ypao Point were closed yesterday as part of an emergency response exercise that included the detonation of a simulated "dirty bomb" at a power plant.This U.S. territory, located about 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii, joined Phoenix and Portland, Ore., in participating in the fourth national TOPOFF drill to measure the response of local, state and federal agencies.
The program run by the Homeland Security Department costs about $25 million a year and involves the federal government's highest officials, such as top people from the Department of Defense.
Roads leading to Guam Memorial Hospital were closed or restricted to limited access, resulting in at least one doctor having difficulty reaching the hospital to check on patients, the Pacific Daily News reported.
The fourth national TOPOFF drill — short for "top officials" — runs through Friday, involving about 15,000 people nationwide.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator R. David Paulison said reports generated by the drill serve as a blueprint for improvements in counterterrorism readiness.
But details from the previous national exercise held in 2005 have yet to be publicly released, even though the information is supposed to help officials prepare for the next real attack.
U.S. House members demanded answers earlier this month, including why the "after-action" report from 2005 hasn't been made public.
