Simulated terrorist attack planned for Strip

Jen Lawson

Thursday, July 7, 2005 | 11:21 a.m.

The bombings of London's transportation system this morning come a few days before Clark County is scheduled to conduct a simulated terrorist attack on the Strip as part of an emergency training exercise.

A transportation scenario will be included in the exercise, county spokeswoman Samantha Charles said. It was planned prior to the London attacks.

The three-day exercise will test the preparedness of the county's first responders to handle attacks at large gatherings and popular Strip destinations.

Medical staff at eight hospitals, 11 Quick Care facilities, Southwest Ambulance, American Medical Response and Clark County Health District are the primary players in the exercise dubbed "Rotunda Thunda '05."

Carla Alston, spokeswoman for Metro Police, said Sheriff Bill Young and the department's homeland security officials were being apprised of the situation this morning.

"No decisions have been made on anything," she said this morning. "We're not doing anything differently than we did yesterday, but that could change."

No flights between Las Vegas and London have been canceled as a result of the bombings, McCarran International Airport spokeswoman Elaine Sanchez said this morning.