Arizona is playing host to the country's largest ever counterterrorism exercise this week, but officials say the public won't notice a thing.
The Arizona Department of Homeland Security is scheduled to conduct a hypothetical "dirty bomb" counterterrorism exercise from today through Friday.
The federal exercise, nicknamed TOPOFF 4 for the full name "Top Officials," was constructed to test public safety and government officials' responses to a simulated attack, said Michael Murphy, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Homeland Security.
TOPOFF 4 consists of a hypothetical "dirty bomb," which is a conventional explosive device that creates a cloud of radioactive dust and material, Murphy said. The bomb is not actually real and will not be detonated, he said.
"The public won't see a thing — it's all computers and officials who will be responding to the 'attack,'" Murphy said. "There will be no first responders and transportation won't be affected."
The hypothetical "dirty bomb" will supposedly be unleashed at the Loop 101 and 202 freeways.
Similar counterterrorism tests will also be performed during the same time period in Portland, Ore., the U.S. Territory of Guam, Australia, Canada and the United
Kingdom, Murphy said.
In Arizona, more than 40 federal agencies, 26 state agencies and public health and law enforcement officials will be tested to see how they respond in the event of a terrorist attack or emergency, including the Red Cross and private businesses, he said.
One of the main reasons for testing the bomb is to ensure proper response in the event of an attack during next year's Super Bowl in Glendale, he said.
"This is the first time we've done an exercise like this for an event like the Super Bowl," Murphy said. "It's a great opportunity to learn how well our preparedness is."
The test is the result of two years of planning, and is the fourth in a series of congressionally-mandated exercises.
Dalen Linnerson, an agribusiness junior, said he thinks the "dirty bomb" test is beneficial in the long run to Arizona's safety and counterterrorism measures.
"It's better to be prepared than to not know what to do," Linnerson said.
The test will probably prove to be useful for preparing for the 2008 Super Bowl as well, he said.
Reach the reporter at: amanda.chan@asu.edu.
