UAF to conduct disaster exercise

July 21, 2011

Marmian Grimes

Marmian Grimes
907-474-7902
7/19/11

The University of Alaska Fairbanks will be conducting a disaster response exercise on campus Tuesday, July 26 through Thursday, July 28. The event is scenario-based and will include responders from organizations throughout the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Exercise activities will take place at a variety of locations on campus, including the Butrovich Building and West Ridge areas, the Taku parking lot and the University Park Building. Members of the public and campus community are encouraged to watch for emergency vehicles and be prepared to encounter traffic delays in some sections of campus.

Each day of the exercise will focus on a different aspect of emergency response. On the first day, law enforcement agencies will role-play their investigation to learn how the different jurisdictions might interact during a real domestic terrorism incident. On the second day, exercise controllers will simulate an explosion in the Taku parking lot and emergency responders will have an opportunity to practice mass-casualty search and rescue and medical triage. In addition, local hospitals will practice their plans for handling a surge of patients and the Butrovich Building will participate in a bomb threat exercise and evacuation. On the third day, UAF will activate its Campus Incident Management Team, which includes a variety of campus leaders and staff members who are trained to support emergency operations both at UAF and in the community.

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Randy Pommenville, UAF emergency management coordinator, at 907-474-5143 or rmpommenville@alaska.edu.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Members of the media are invited to cover all or part of the exercise. Please contact Grimes by July 21, as journalists will need credentials to enter the exercise perimeter.

MG/7-19-11/013ma-12