Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Chicago's to See How Emergency Crews Respond to Simulated Attack
Aired May 13, 2003 - 05:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in the United States, it's Chicago's turn today to see how emergency crews respond to a simulated terrorist attack. The national exercises began yesterday in Seattle when emergency workers were called in to handle a mock dirty bomb attack.
CNN's Jeanne Meserve was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This exercise is intended to test systems up and down the line to determine if the federal, state and local governments in this country are ready to deal with the next real terrorist incident.
The dramatic part of the simulation got under way Monday afternoon with the detonation of a fake dirty bomb here, just a couple of miles from the center of the city of Seattle. First responders rushed to the scene but when radiation was detected, they were pulled back and suited up and given the proper equipment. They then went in and began to deal with the actors who were playing the dead and injured.
Some of those individuals were taken to local hospitals. This tested their ability to deal with a mass casualty incident, also to determine whether their decontamination regimes were where they should be.
Meanwhile, the plume of radiation was tracked over the city. The health impacts were judged and investigators moved into the scene to try to determine who might have been responsible for the explosion here.
The people playing in this exercise knew an awful lot about this scenario before it began to be played out. Whether because of that or because the city is exceptionally well prepared, one impartial observer tells me that in the early hours the local response was exceptionally good.
On Tuesday, the first cases of simulated pneumonic plague begin showing up in Chicago. That begins phase two of this exercise which, when all is said and done, will involve 8,500 people and cost $16 million.
Jean Meserve, CNN, Seattle, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Attack>
Aired May 13, 2003 - 05:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in the United States, it's Chicago's turn today to see how emergency crews respond to a simulated terrorist attack. The national exercises began yesterday in Seattle when emergency workers were called in to handle a mock dirty bomb attack.
CNN's Jeanne Meserve was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This exercise is intended to test systems up and down the line to determine if the federal, state and local governments in this country are ready to deal with the next real terrorist incident.
The dramatic part of the simulation got under way Monday afternoon with the detonation of a fake dirty bomb here, just a couple of miles from the center of the city of Seattle. First responders rushed to the scene but when radiation was detected, they were pulled back and suited up and given the proper equipment. They then went in and began to deal with the actors who were playing the dead and injured.
Some of those individuals were taken to local hospitals. This tested their ability to deal with a mass casualty incident, also to determine whether their decontamination regimes were where they should be.
Meanwhile, the plume of radiation was tracked over the city. The health impacts were judged and investigators moved into the scene to try to determine who might have been responsible for the explosion here.
The people playing in this exercise knew an awful lot about this scenario before it began to be played out. Whether because of that or because the city is exceptionally well prepared, one impartial observer tells me that in the early hours the local response was exceptionally good.
On Tuesday, the first cases of simulated pneumonic plague begin showing up in Chicago. That begins phase two of this exercise which, when all is said and done, will involve 8,500 people and cost $16 million.
Jean Meserve, CNN, Seattle, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Attack>
