Three day metro-wide disaster drill will simulate bioterrorism attack

By Stuart Tomlinson, The Oregonian 

on May 20, 2013 at 11:52 AM, updated May 20, 2013 at 4:55 PM

The U. S. Department of Homeland Security conducted a full scale simulated terrorist attack conducted at Portland International Raceway in October 2007. The event called Top Officials Exercise or, TOPOFF 4, was based on a detonation of a dirty bomb in Portland. Here, officials document firefighters assisting injured persons. A similar drill will unfold over three days starting Tuesday.Brent Wojahn/The Oregonian 2007

As preparedness drills go, the 3-day PACE (Portland Area Capabilities Exercise) Setter bioterrorism exercise that starts Tuesday is big. The exercise--which simulates a terrorist attack involving a biological weapon--will unfold across 50 different venues and some 65 jurisdictions from Gresham to Tigard.

Officials say it’s the largest such exercise undertaken since 2007, when a drill known as TOPOFF tested a simulated response to a dirty bomb explosion in Portland.

“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,” said Scott Porter, director of Washington County Emergency Management and co-chair of the exercise process.

The exercise is designed to test the region’s plans, operations, policies and response to a widespread, complex public health emergency.

The TOPOFF drill in 2007 simulated a dirty bomb explosion in Portland.fbi.gov

The purpose of the exercise is to test the region’s ability to respond to a complex public health incident affecting multiple agencies across several political boundaries. The exercise will address policy, plans and operations related to bioterrorism incident mobilization and response.

The imagined scenarios will play out at seven main locations, organizers said, on Wednesday and Thursday; Tuesday is reserved for planning and set-up.

But please note: These events are not designed to be visible to the public, but will be open for media coverage.

--Camp Withycombe in Clackamas: 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 or BEECN, where volunteers will set up a tent and radio equipment at one of Portland’s 48 BEECN sites. 

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/pbem/article/423717

--Washington County Emergency Operations Center: A behind the scenes look at the how the county organizes the region’s response.

--Gresham Medical Care Point: 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.

--Kellogg Middle School in Portland. Similar to plans for Fort Vancouver. ¶

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

At the same time, Southwest Washington emergency managers and first responders will also conduct a drill, this one known as WASABE (Washington State Annual Bioterrorism Exercise.)

This too will be a full-scale exercise involving local and state public health, emergency managers, hospitals, law enforcement and the Region IV Medical Reserve Corps. The Fort Vancouver event is not part of WASABE.

--Stuart Tomlinson

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