The drill will bring together emergency response teams from as many as 14 area communities.

By LINDA CONNER LAMBECK
Connecticut Post Online
Texas city kicks off days-long disaster exercise
N.H. agencies train for mass casualty incident

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Nothing like a disaster drill to cure the doldrums of a quiet Friday night on campus.

That's what University of Bridgeport students have to look forward to when a full-scale Homeland Security hostage-taking scenario unfolds the evening of Sept. 26 at the Arnold Bernhard Center.

"The focus is not to test personnel, but to test the plan and procedures," said Scott Appleby, director of emergency management for the city of Bridgeport.

The drill will bring together emergency response teams from as many as 14 area communities, UB's Emergency and Risk Management Committee and the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

The 18-hour event will involve students and others playing the roles of hostages.

"It's obvious from events of the last several years that universities are not exempt from weather, natural disaster or manmade moments like a hostage-taking, so practicing and drilling together is an opportunity for people to be ready to respond in the most effective way," said UB President Neil Salonen.

Appleby said the plan will incorporate a number of elements that took place at the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, a bloody 2004 hostage drama at a school in Beslan, Russia, and a 2002 hostage standoff at Fairfield University.

Also participating in the drill will be Fairfield Assistant Police Chief Gary McNamara.

Richard Fornier, regional coordinator of state Department of Emergency Management, said the drill will bring everyone together for a common goal and hopefully help expose gaps in procedures.

The timing of the drill should not interfere with the city's new South End school, directly across the street from the Bernhard Center on University Avenue.

Copyright 2008 MediaNews Group, Inc.