By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – The largest-ever joint military and civilian disaster response exercise ever held in Western York is scheduled for early next month at an old industrial site in Tonawanda.
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More than 1,300 National Guard troops will converge on the old Spaulding Fibre plant November 1st through the 6th for a full-scale exercise. Brigadier General Patrick Murphy brief City of Tonawanda residents last night. Murphy says the troops will be working with local first responders in responding to a simulated disaster.
In fact, crews are already on the scene building a rubble pile that replicates the challenges responders would face in a real earthquake. Erie County Emergency Services Commissioner Gregory Skibitsky says such training is key to uncovering problems before they occur.
Most of the training will occur during the day. But there will be one night on Tuesday, November 3rd, when troops and first responders will be training.
Besides the county and National Guard, area hospitals and such agencies as the Salvation Army will participate.