A team from the National Terrorism Task Force has been training Danville Firefighters this week on how to respond in the event of a radiological emergency. On Friday firefighters responded to a mock emergency involving radiation to cap their week of training.
Rick Breeden, a retired Las Vegas Police Officer, is the leader of the team which operates under a U.S. Department of Energy consortium known as C-TOS….Counter-Terrorism Operations and Support. He outlined Friday’s drill to VermilionCountyFirst.com News…
{”We basically give them a scenario. We were fortunate enough to be able to use this (Illini Skateland) roller skating rink. And we came in and we set up a pretty good scenario for their Haz-Mat Team to be able to come in here and mitigate the possible threat that was in there,” said Breeden. ”It’s kind of a disgruntled person went in there and had access to some radiological material and went in there. And they’re going to have their hands full.”
Danville Fire Captain Jerry Sparks (second from right in photo) says it is excellent training….
{”We’ve got the foremost experts in radiological weapons of mass destruction on site. They’re from all over the country and from all manner of discipline from the federal government – including our military,” said Sparks. ”And we’re using actual radiological sources that come from nuclear proving grounds and other places. So it’s fantastic training — the real world as close as we can make it.”}
Why hold this type of training in Danville?….
{”Why come to Danville? If I was a bad guy I would come to Danville to build my device and then take it to Chicago to detonate it, or to make it happen,” said Breeden. ”So small areas like this, it’s very important to have a prevent side of the house. As far as having personal radiation detectors – your police departments have them. Your fire departments have them. So you guys are ahead of the curve among some other folks,” added Breeden.}
Rick Breeden is the head of the C-TOS…Counter Terrorism and Support Team which has been working not only with Danville Firefighters but other emergency personnel in the Danville area, too.
[Firefighters get their vitals checked prior to entering the building. They are checked again when they come back out in hazardous materials incidents.]
