A terrorist attack at Grand Valley State University will be simulated on October 28 to test the readiness of area agencies to deal with such an emergency. The exercise is made possible through a federal Department of Homeland Security grant.
The drill will involve numerous West Michigan fire and sheriff departments, as well as medical and hazardous material teams. The Emergency Management Division of the Michigan State Police, Ottawa County Sheriff's Department, Grand Valley Public Safety and other staff and volunteers will participate in the exercise, which runs Thursday, October 28 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. HazMat Solutions Inc., a local environmental training and consulting company, is coordinating the exercise. The drill will involve a simulated terrorist attack with first responders testing their capabilities to respond to and recover from a terrorist incident. Participation in training exercise such as this allows responders to improve coordination and define roles and responsibilities in a disaster or terrorist attack.
