Poland security exercise planned

By Denise Dick

Rabid Bulldog is scheduled for Tuesday.

POLAND — Terrorists descend on the township, threatening public safety and prompting roughly 200 emergency and law enforcement personnel to act.

Relax. It’s a homeland security exercise set for 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the area of state Route 170 and Dobbins Road.

“We want the public to know we are exercising to be prepared,” said Dennis O’Hara, a planner with Mahoning County Emergency Management and Communications.

The exercise provides practice for first responders should a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive emergency occur. Officials from the state EMA also evaluate participants and the county EMA to determine what areas need improvement.

The exercise, which involves about 200 local, state and federal law enforcement and emergency personnel, has been dubbed Rabid Bulldog, invoking a deranged version of Poland schools’ mascot.

Funding for training and much of the equipment used came from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Township police Chief Brian Goodin said passers-by the day of the exercise will see various emergency vehicles and equipment and possibly people involved. Township police are among the agencies participating.

State evaluators will determine how the exercise measured up in initial notification, communications, incident command, fire operations, law enforcement operations, the emergency operations center, population protection and public information.

Clark A. Jones, EMA director, said EMA coordinates disaster and emergency incident sessions twice per year, although not all of them involve full-scale disaster exercises like the one planned for next week.

The event coincides with September’s being National Preparedness Month, a national campaign to encourage people to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools.

Ohio Department of Public Safety has launched a Web site, www.ready.ohio.gov, that includes resources to help residents make an emergency plan and assemble emergency kits.