Las Vegas emergency workers learn about terrorism

Angie Wagner

Wednesday, May 3, 2000 | 12:01 p.m.

The 911 call comes in: multiple victims in a bus accident. Authorities arrive on the scene to find a pregnant woman moaning in pain, a man twitching uncontrollably, another lying motionless on the ground. A sticky substance covers the victims' faces.

"Everything's blurry," one victim cries.

Another complains of a weird smell and "stuff" on his face.

Even though the scene Tuesday was only a demonstration of a chemical act of terrorism, firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians were expected to work together to help the victims and keep themselves safe.

Las Vegas is one of 120 cities nationwide selected by the Department of Defense to receive Domestic Preparedness Training. The federal program is designed to enhance the capability of communities in responding to acts of terrorism.

After the World Trade Center, Oklahoma City and East Africa U.S. embassy bombings and a 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway, U.S. officials concluded it only a matter of when - not whether - some terrorist will use a weapon of mass destruction on a domestic target.

About 350 emergency workers from the city, Clark County, the Police Department and the city's ambulance service are attending the four-day training, which began Monday. Personnel from Henderson, North Las Vegas, Mesquite and Boulder City also are attending.

They will share their knowledge with other workers at their respective agencies.

"The threat of terrorism continues to increase," said Las Vegas Fire Chief Mario Trevino. "We need to do whatever we can to prepare for it."

The workers are attending classes and training sessions where they have to figure out what kind of terrorism occurred - nuclear, biological or chemical.

"You never know when these incidents might take place," said Tony Russo, a police officer with the Clark County School District Police.

Ann Gallegos, spokeswoman for the Domestic Preparedness program, said part of the training is teaching those first to respond how not to become victims themselves.

"It's better to be prepared than not," she said. "And hopefully, we're prepared for something we don't have to be."