(Newark-WABC, November 15, 2003) -- The Port of New Jersey was the scene of a very realistic disaster drill Saturday. For many involved, the memory of September 11th was motivation enough to be prepared in case the unthinkable happens again.
It was the culmination of a year-and-a-half of planning and one of New Jersey's largest disaster drills ever. More than 600 Federal, State and local emergency responders practiced at Port Newark, in case there is another terrorist attack. And the memory of 9/11 was very fresh in everyone's minds.
The Port of New York and New Jersey is the third largest in the country -- with 3.7 million containers coming through each year. And there are many weaknesses in the ability to protect against terrorism.
Peter Harvey, NJ Attorney General: "One of them is our ability to scan every single container that comes into the port..of course, we don't have that capability yet and everybody knows that."
So on this day -- organizers stage an explosion in one of the containers.
Kyle Olson, Homeland Security Contractor: "That explosion resulted in the release of a chemical agent..."
Haz Mat teams suit up to treat 50 to 100 casualties and everyone from the bomb squad to the FBI and Homeland Security to The Port Authority and local police and fire departments must work together.
It was an unscripted drill with various surprises for responders along the way, like wind up to 20 miles and hour. And there was another surprise -- a second cannister explosion halfway through the drill.
Ernesto Butcher, Port Authority: "This second explosion was not anticipated by the crews..so what we learn is how to react to that sort of thing."
The drill was not only meant to study the right ways to treat a disaster but also -- the wrong ways. So if that time ever comes -- more lives will be saved.
