100 local agencies take part in terrorism drill

5:20 PM, Sep 23, 2011   |    comments
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DENVER - Operation Mountain Guardian held a terrorism-based emergency response exercise at various locations in the Denver metro area on Friday.

First responders from 100 different agencies tested residents with loud noises, simulated weapons, smoke, emergency vehicles and other actions.

The exercise is designed to be a learning event for regional first responders to test their capabilities in a scenario that will involve a terrorist-driven catastrophic situation.

"It's been a great day," Lt. Stacey Goss, with the Denver Police Department, said. "I can say that everything went off pretty well as planned. We had a really good exercise at all levels."

Goss said it was a good opportunity for the various units that are used to operating well within their own circle to work together.

"Because there's so many different agencies from so many different areas coming together in one location - I think one of the biggest challenges was incidence command and communication," Goss said.

The exercise ran from 5 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

(KUSA-TV © 2011 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)