Nevada Test Site will host anti-terrorism training

Mark D. Preston

Friday, June 12, 1998 | 11:20 a.m.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Nevada Test Site soon will be the training ground for a new army of emergency crews who will learn how to prevent and respond to future acts of domestic terrorism.

The Test Site will be one of five federal government facilities that will begin teaching America's estimated 3 million fire, medical and law enforcement personnel proper safety procedures for handling terrorist situations.

A group of senators, including Nevada Democrats Harry Reid and Richard Bryan, joined representatives from each facility in the nation's capital Thursday to announce the formation of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium. Also on hand was Thomas L. Mack, executive director of Strategic Development and Communications for Bechtel Nevada, the company that operates the Test Site.

"I look forward to the Nevada Test Site being an integral part of this consortium," Reid said. "The Nevada Test Site has been a part of the security of the world for almost 50 years."

Bryan, referring to the recent anthrax scare in Las Vegas, said domestic terrorism has replaced the Cold War as the biggest threat to America's national security.

"Americans see (terrorism) on a global nature in Japan and Europe," he said. "But there is no reason to believe we here at home are immune from that."

The consortium includes the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training at Louisiana State University, the Energetic Materials Research and Test Center at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center at Texas A&M University and the National Center for Domestic Preparedness at Jacksonville State University.

The consortium is designed to use the strengths of each facility, and Mack said the Test Site will provide a "real-life" training ground for all kinds of emergencies, including chemical attacks.

"Our role is going to be the full training and exercise place where you bring a different number of entities together," Mack said. "We can put them in an environment where they are going to have to wear their uniforms, and they are going to have to use their breathing apparatus equipment."

Mack said the state of Nevada, which has already begun a terrorist response program, conducted a training exercise last week.

The consortium has requested Congress appropriate $62 million for fiscal year 1999, $50 million for 2000 and $100 million in 2001.