Hornets to roar over city in Olympic exercise
If that roar in the skies this week sounds as loud as a fighter jet, odds are it is a fighter jet.
All this week, starting today, North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) jets will be conducting training over Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver in preparation for 2010 Olympics security.
The tests continue to Friday.
It will be a busy week for Olympic security training as 140 government organizations and emergency crews take part in Exercise Gold, the final phase of security training for the Games.
Aviation enthusiasts may recognize CF-18 Hornets escorting commercial aircraft, though much of the activity will happen at high altitudes, according to Canadian NORAD region spokesman Lieut. David Lavallee. A similar exercise was conducted last May.
This week, government and emergency staff will create mock disaster zones in Vancouver and Richmond.
The crews will take part in two full-scale live-action events, simulating chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear disasters.
The mock disaster scene will take place at the former Steveston high school in Richmond.
The 2010 Olympic Integrated Exercise Program worked on regional safety and security in its Exercise Bronze activities in November 2008.
Last February’s Exercise Silver focused on safety and security plans.
Mary Frances Hill, Vancouver Sun
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Hor...946/story.html
Linear Mode
