Air National Guard holds terrorist drill

BANGOR – As part of its efforts to be prepared for a worst-case-scenario terrorist attack, members of the 101st Air Refueling Wing participated in a mock disaster Friday, testing their ability to respond to such an emergency.

The scenario had a troop passenger bus ramming through the front gate and a short time later exploding, killing and injuring those on board, including the terrorists, Maj. Debbie Kelley, community manager for the 101st Air Refueling Wing, said Friday.

As part of the drill, members of the 101st had to coordinate efforts, from sweeping the area making sure they identified any remaining dangers such as explosives or chemicals to rescuing and treating the injured, she said. The effort was managed by an incident command system, a formalized command and control process required by the federal Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Defense.

In this case, some injured were taken by Capital Ambulance to St. Joseph Hospital.

Friday’s drill was a prelude to a larger mock disaster scheduled May 14, which will involve the city and Penobscot County.