West Virginia Conducts Improbable, Expensive Terror Excercise, Evacuation of D.C. Scenario

"Thomas says it’s costly to run emergency exercises like this and researchers like him hope to find ways to practice less expensively."

"The sky is falling, the sky is falling"; Homeland Security plays 'Chicken Little' again, at the cost of West Virginia taxpayers. The probability of this happening is microscopic! See our previous article, "OVERBLOWN", to put all this into more rational perspective.

According to the paranoid propaganda (similar to "mushroom clouds" from Saddam Hussein) we are to believe that "it is not if, but when" the nation's capitol WILL BE attacked, and a mass evacuation forced--because they say so! All of this to see if "radios and communication" work properly? Is this apocalyptic scenario (like catastrophic tides due to global warming) really that probable, or is this more of a psychological operation and way to get West Virginia government to comply with the "war on terrorism" program of Homeland Security? (Gov. Manchin previously conducted a "Flu Pandemic Summit" also in Charleston, another "not if, but when" scenario, and also supports REAL ID while the people and legislators largely oppose it).

Actually, even if a rehearsal were justified, there is a greater probability many would flee to Maryland or southern Virginia, since the interstates more immediately cross those areas, rather than the narrow portion of the West Virginia panhandle, and I-270 is the quickest northern route which would entirely by-pass the portion of I-81 this was conducted at. So even the emphasis on West Virginia does not make sense, which looking at the map shows.

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Meanwhile taxpayers should be told just how much this cost and how much came from the state budget.

Dirty bomb exercise tests West Virginia's emergency services

By Cecelia Mason

Listen Now (3:30)

Homeland Security spokesman discusses exercise

June 18, 2008

The scenario: A dirty bomb falls somewhere in the Washington D.C. area. Thousands of people evacuate to West Virginia. The state Homeland Security Department staged a major exercise yesterday to test whether West Virginia can handle such a scenario.

In Berkeley County, the local Homeland Security and Emergency Services Department set up a decontamination station on a strip of land between the county’s hospital and Interstate 81.

Shortly after 11 a.m. a West Virginia Emergency Response Team semi truck and trailer pulled up. Members from local fire and emergency services departments worked with members of the National Guard to empty the truck and erect tents where evacuees were decontaminated.

State Military Affairs and Public Safety Deputy Director Christy Morris was on hand to observe.

...Thomas says it’s costly to run emergency exercises like this and researchers like him hope to find ways to practice less expensively.