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Terrorist exercise almost ends early
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A practice drill in Poland sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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DISASTER DRILL: A remote-control robot picks up a package at the base of the water tower at Aqua Ohio's Water Treatment Plant in Poland.
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SWAT Team members surround bomb squad officers as part of a disaster drill coordinated by Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency.
By Denise Dick
About 200 law enforcement and emergency officials participated in Tuesday’s exercise.
POLAND — A perpetrator tries to poison the water supply, takes hostages and flees from police.
That was the scenario Tuesday for law enforcement and emergency personnel participating in an emergency exercise sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The exercise, dubbed Rabid Bulldog, began at the Aqua Ohio Water Treatment Plant, state Route 170. The culprit pollutes the water supply, takes a hostage and disappears at the township administration building.
“The schools went to lockdown,” said Clark Jones, Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency director.
All of the activities were simulated. Information about the drill was sent home with students to alert parents.
As traffic slowed around Route 170, motorists rolled down windows, inquiring what was happening.
Roughly 200 law enforcement and emergency crews swarmed the area around Route 170 and Dobbins Road, looking for the offenders. The Youngstown Bomb Squad arrived to determine if a package left at the water tank was a bomb.
Township police posted at each corner of the Poland Seminary High School lot questioned passers-by, requesting identification.
The on-scene operations were led by David “Chip” Comstock, chief of Western Reserve Joint Fire District, and Sgt. Gary Abeid of township police.
The exercise nearly ended shortly after it started. Township police spotted the bad guy, portrayed by Lt. Detective Robert Schaeffer of Austintown Police, along Route 170 and stopped him.
“Hands up. Lift up your shirt. Lay down on the ground. Arms out to your sides,” Abeid barked.
The officers handcuffed Schaeffer and directed him into a cruiser, but it was too early. His character hadn’t had a chance to take a hostage and flee behind the township administration building.
To allow all of the participants to see the exercise through, the would-be perpetrator was released.
“It’s certainly big kudos to the Poland [Township] Police Department,” said Darren Dodson, director of Columbiana County EMA.
Jones called Dodson as well as Linda Beil, Trumbull County’s EMA director, to help with Tuesday’s activities.
Officials from the state EMA observed the exercise and will do a formal evaluation that should be completed in about a month. Jones said that report will allow participants to identify areas that need improvement as well as scenarios that were well-executed.
From the emergency operations center, housed at the EMA building on Industrial Road, Jones kept updated on the goings-on and secured a declaration of emergency from the Mahoning County commissioners to gather needed supplies and assistance.
In an incident such as Tuesday’s simulation, bottled water would be one of the needed resources.
An emergency declaration would be sent to the state EMA and delivered to the governor to try to marshal other needed services.
“The coordination of all of the participants has really been top-notch,” said Commissioner Anthony Traficanti.