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Texas, Dept of Homeland Security, FEMA Team Up for Anti-Terrorism Exercise This Week
The NLE began on July 27th and runs until the 31st. It's unclear exactly where the operation is taking place, but the Texas exercises, dubbed Operation Texas Watch, are being coordinated from the State Operations Center in Austin. Local participating agencies, of which there are about two dozen, include the TABC, the Attorney General's Office, the Texas National Guard and the Department of Public Safety.
From FEMA:
The full-scale exercise offers agencies and jurisdictions a way to test their plans and skills in a real-time, realistic environment and to gain the in-depth knowledge that only experience can provide. Participants will exercise prevention and information sharing functions that are critical to preventing terrorist attacks. Lessons learned from the exercise will provide valuable insights to guide future planning for securing the nation against terrorist attacks, disasters, and other emergencies.
Jack Colley, director of Texas' Division of Emergency Management, told the AP that the state has performed upwards of 300 such drills since 9/11. Colley declined to reveal any details about the types of anti-terrorism drills they were practicing this time.
The press release, which hasn't yet shown up on the Governor's site but has been published by a West Texas CBS affiliate, is re-posted after the jump.
Austin, Texas - The State of Texas this week launched Operation Texas Watch, which is part of the five-day National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09) focused on terrorism prevention and protection, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As part of this exercise, local, state, federal and select international partners, are focusing on intelligence and information sharing for the purpose of terrorism prevention and protection. The exercise is designed to gauge coordination among varying agencies and the overall level of preparedness the nation has achieved for terrorist attacks.“A key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission was to increase the level of information sharing among all levels of government,” Gov. Perry said. “This exercise is an important step in increasing our state and nation’s preparedness for all types of disasters, and I am pleased that the federal government has recognized the importance of engaging the many agencies participating in this exercise.”
In addition to Texas, participating states include Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Louisiana. The states will be presented with a scenario in which a terrorist attack has occurred outside the U.S., and will then be charged with implementing a response to prevent the subsequent efforts by terrorists to enter the U.S. and carry out further attacks.
In Texas, this charge means executing the response laid out in the State Emergency Management Plan and the Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan 2005-2010. These plans include a coordinated effort among local, state and federal agencies and private sector partners. Operation Texas Watch will be coordinated from the Texas State Operations Center in Austin.
Texas participants include:
•Border Star Unified Commands
•East Harris County Manufacturers Association
•El Paso Intelligence Center
•FBI Field Offices (Dallas, Houston, El Paso, San Antonio)
•Houston Police Department
•Houston Regional Intelligence Service Center (Houston Fusion Center)
•Joint Operations and Intelligence Centers (JOICs)
•Joint Terrorism Task Forces
•Protective Security Advisors
•San Antonio Fusion Center
•Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
•Texas Attorney General’s Office
•Texas Border Security Operations Center
•Regional Councils of Government
•Texas Department of Criminal Justice
•Governor’s Office of Homeland Security
•Texas Department of Public Safety
•Texas Emergency Management Council
•Texas Fusion Center (TFC)
•Governor’s Division of Emergency Management
•Texas National Guard
•Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
•Texas Railroad Commission
•Texas State Operations CenterThe completion of the exercise will be followed by an after-action assessment to determine best practices and lessons learned.
