Simulated terrorist attack in Long Beach will test first responders' skills

First responders from across California will practice their skills during a hypothetical terrorist attack Wednesday at the Port of Long Beach.

The simulation will involve an actor pretending to be a gunman and a fake contamination of hazardous materials near Rainbow Harbor, officials said. The exercises are part of California's annual two-day homeland security and disaster preparedness drills.

Thousands of first responders from the local, state and federal level are taking part in the exercises, which include a fake attack on a container ship at the Port of Oakland, a bomb explosion at the Port of Redwood City, and terrorist attacks in waters off Los Angeles, San Diego and Long Beach.

The annual exercise was started by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004. He will be on hand for Wednesday’s drill in Long Beach.

-- Kate Linthicum

Comments

[The Bell]

Now all we need is a hypothetical governor who stops wasting State taxpayer money on war games and retrieves some of it from so-called investment firms of Wall Street and Cosa Mesa who dabble in terror of the financial sort.