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Urban Shield
Urban Shield
Urban Shield
Menino For Immediate Release Wednesday, October 31, 2012 For information, contact Press Office, 617-635-4461
**Community Advisory**
Training is vital for our first responders. They are on the frontlines when an emergency occurs, and we want them trained in the best ways possible to handle any situation, Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. Urban Shield: Boston displays the steps the metro-Boston region takes to prepare for all-hazards and sets a national example for cities around the country to create a coordinated full-scale training exercise. The following locations will host exercises: USS Salem (Quincy) for maritime interdiction The former B-2 Police Station (Boston) for simulated SWAT exercises (Fencedoff area of station grounds only) The former Circle Cinemas (Brookline) for a simulated bank robbery and hostage situation Bowdoin MBTA Station (Boston) for a simulated HazMat incident Boston Harbor Anchorage #1 (Boston) for simulated maritime operations and a ferry boat HazMat scenario UMass Boston Campus (Boston) for a culminating exercise involving all agencies and a variety of exercises. Eight hospitals throughout Boston for simulation of HazMat decontaminations, management of simulated victims, and activation of a Medical Intelligence Center Various agencies will be involved, including UASI Boston Communities including Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, Winthrop, Revere, Quincy, Everett, and Chelsea and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) units from:
the Boston Police Department; the Brookline Police Department; the Cambridge Police Department; the Revere Police Department; the Northeastern Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC); the MBTA Transit Police; the Massachusetts State Police; the Middlesex County Police Department; the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council; the Manchester, NH Police Department
Urban Shield: Boston is grant-funded through the Urban Area Security Initiative, a program of the Department of Homeland Security. The event is a multi-layered training exercise designed to enhance the skills and abilities of regional first responders during large-scale emergencies. The exercise also tests the command structure of the Unified Area Command (UAC), a collaborative of high ranking personnel from each public safety agency throughout the metro region and is supported by $2 million worth of communications equipment that allows for seamless interoperability and coordination during a large scale crisis. Through the UAC, officials will review current policies and capabilities, regarding equipment, communication systems, and emergency operation centers.