Three Day Multi Agency National Level Exercise 2010 to Commence Monday
Press Conference Scheduled and Other Opportunities for Press Access

The FBI is coordinating a training exercise among multiple government and law enforcement organizations at the national and local level, to exercise response capabilities relative to a terrorist attack involving an improvised nuclear device. The exercise will take place Monday, May 17 through Wednesday, May 19. A press conference to discuss the training will be held on Tuesday, May 18, the second day of the exercise. While the majority of the training is classified, there are portions of the exercise for which media access has been authorized. Public Information Officers, listed below, may be contacted for exact times and locations; however the following provides an overview for members of the media interested in covering the training.

Monday, May 17: Survey Operation. Multi-agency teams from LAPD, LASD, DOE, FBI, TSA, CBP, and LAX PD will conduct surveys at selected locations in Los Angeles County to train on equipment used to indicate whether a radiological device exists. One of the surveys will take place in a residence located at 40 W Lutge, Ave Burbank, California. Media will be afforded access Monday afternoon between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00p.m.

Tuesday, May 18: Press Conference to be held at 10:00 a.m. at the Los Angeles Coliseum to discuss the objectives of the exercise and to answer questions from members of the media. Equipment used during threats of this nature will be on display for the media to film. The following agencies are currently scheduled to be represented at the press conference: FBI, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, LAPD, LASD, NSAA (DOE), Federal Air Marshal Service (TSA), Customs Border Protection, and the Mayor of Los Angeles. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for the media to film the mock portion of the exercise involving a vehicle convoy that will transport the notional improvised explosive device as it is taken from its location at the Coliseum. Exact location of the press conference and display will be provided later today.

Wednesday, May 19: Multi-agency teams will conduct screening operations at the Agricultural Station on Highway 15 in Barstow, California. This fixed position will be set up so that teams can exercise their ability to detect a radiological or nuclear weapon traveling on a highway and prevent the spread of contamination by detecting and managing people exposed to radiation. Interested members of the media will see the deployment of portal monitors where training vehicles with radiological sources will be driven through the station for the purposes of the exercise, along with regular highway traffic. A secondary screening point will be set up to exercise adjudication of suspicious sources and exercise the use of Los Angeles County's equipment. Agencies participating include FBI, Los Angeles County Radiation Management, Center for Disease Control, San Bernardino County Public Health, San Bernardino County Department, Department of Energy, Customs Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol, California EMA, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.

PIO FBI:
Laura Eimiller; 310 420-6441; laura.eimiller@ic.fbi.gov

Alternate FBI:
Lourdes Arocho (Spanish Speaker); 310 628-2023; Lourdes.arocho@ic.fbi.gov

PIO Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department:
Deputy Nicole Nishida; (323) 810-1973; Office (323) 267-4815; nnishida@lasd.org

Alternate LASD:
Deputy Byron Ward Deputy Ward; (323) 810-2418; bkward@lasd.org

PIO Customs Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security:
Jaime Ruiz; (202) 534-8622; Jaime.i.ruiz@dhs.gov

PIO FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL SERVICE, TSA, Los Angeles Field Office:
Robert J. Harvey; (310)615-8680 Office; (310)849-3063 PDA; robert.j.harvey@secureskies.net

PIO NNSA, Department of Energy:
Casey Ruberg; Cell: 240-751-2972 Main; 202-586-7371; Casey.ruberg@nnsa.doe.gov

PIO LAPD:
John Romero; 213-840-7803; john.romero@lapd.lacity.org

PIO Public Health Los Angeles County
Robert Perkins; (213) 989-7011; rperkins@ph.lacounty.gov

Note: Additional agencies not listed on this advisory are taking part in this three day exercise. A more comprehensive list will be provided in the press release issued on Tuesday at the press conference.