The "Spontaneous" Evacuation Drill
Channel 2 and Channel 7 coverage.
We'd like anyone who has access to this whole event to give the readers a little heads up on the happenings. Are they pulling teams out of Districts to simulate the massive influx of manpower they are going to need downtown and the shortages in the outlying Districts that will occur as a result?
Suffice it to say we wouldn't trust certain criminal minded elements of the city to remain calm and collected during a terrorist attack. We couldn't ever hope for a "shoot-to-kill" order like the one in 1968, but suffice it to say that downtown won't be the only area looking like a disaster hit should the unthinkable come to pass.
We'd like anyone who has access to this whole event to give the readers a little heads up on the happenings. Are they pulling teams out of Districts to simulate the massive influx of manpower they are going to need downtown and the shortages in the outlying Districts that will occur as a result?
Suffice it to say we wouldn't trust certain criminal minded elements of the city to remain calm and collected during a terrorist attack. We couldn't ever hope for a "shoot-to-kill" order like the one in 1968, but suffice it to say that downtown won't be the only area looking like a disaster hit should the unthinkable come to pass.
posted by SCC at 12:07 AM
26 Comments:
Certain downtown building firms received this notice.
Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 6:45 PM
Subject: Evacuation Drill - Traffic & Transportation Advisories for
Thursday, September 7
We have previously advised all Chicago members that the City is
planning a large-scale evacuation drill for this Thursday afternoon,
September 7, involving a small number of buildings downtown. We have now
received advisory notices from the Office of Emergency Management and
Communications and from the Chicago Transit Authority relating to traffic
conditions and public transportation in connection with that drill. The
following are the full texts of those notices.
OEMC / Office of Emergency Management and Communications
Traffic Advisory – September 5, 2006
As the City of Chicago conducts its mass evacuation drill - the first ever
to be held in a major city - several streets will be closed for a period of
time on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2006. To minimize inconvenience to those who
travel through the area where the drill will be conducted, these closures
are being released so residents, motorists and pedestrians can adjust their
travel plans accordingly.
As of 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 7, Des Plaines Street will be closed from Madison
Street to Adams Street. Because of the role Des Plaines Street plays in
shunting westbound traffic away from Madison Street, also closed will be
the eastbound lanes of Madison Street from Halsted Street to Des Plaines
Street, as well as the Kennedy Expressway exit ramps at Monroe and Madison
streets.
Closures taking effect at or after 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 7 will be Wacker
Drive from Madison Street to Adams Street and Monroe Street from Franklin
Street to Halsted Street. At this time, the Lower Wacker entrance and exit
ramp at Monroe Street also will be closed. These closures are not expected
to last past 7 p.m.
There also will be intermittent closures of Canal, Clinton and Jefferson
streets at Monroe Street during the drill, with traffic allowed to pass
through Monroe periodically.
CTA Chicago Transit Authority
Press Release September 5, 2006
Upcoming Evacuation Drill to Impact CTA Bus Routes
Several Chicago Transit Authority bus routes will be impacted during the
City of Chicago’s planned evacuation drill scheduled for the evening rush
period on Thursday, September 7. The drill is being coordinated by the
Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) in cooperation
with several city agencies.
Area street closures and heavy traffic flow onto adjacent streets are
expected to result in slower commutes for many traveling out of the Loop
during the drill.
As of 9 a.m. on September 7, Des Plaines Street will be closed from Madison
Street to Adams Street. In addition, eastbound lanes of Madison Street from
Halsted Street to Des Plaines Street, as well as the Kennedy Expressway
exit ramps at Monroe and Madison streets, will be closed.
Closures taking effect at or after 3:30 p.m. on September 7 will be Wacker
Drive from Madison Street to Adams Street and Monroe Street from Franklin
Street to Halsted Street. At this time, the Lower Wacker entrance and exit
ramp at Monroe Street also will be closed. These closures are not expected
to last past 7 p.m.
There also will be intermittent closures of Canal, Clinton and Jefferson
streets at Monroe Street during the drill, with traffic allowed to pass
through Monroe periodically.
CTA is advising its customers to allow extra travel time for their evening
commutes on Thursday, particularly those who travel on buses serving the
Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station and those who take buses
operating along Wacker, Canal, Clinton and Halsted.
Bus Reroutes
Two CTA bus routes will be rerouted around the street closures. Extra CTA
personnel will be available to assist customers in catching the rerouted
buses.
#121 Union/Wacker Express
Southbound #121 buses will operate via Wacker, Randolph and Clinton to
Adams. Northbound buses will operate via Clinton, Jackson, Franklin, Lake,
Post, to Lower Wacker, then resume the regular route.
#123 Illinois Center/Union Express
Southbound #123 buses will operate via Wacker to Randolph to Clinton and
Adams. Northbound buses will operate via Clinton to Jackson, Franklin,
Madison Upper Wacker, then resume the regular route.
Delays
Customers who travel on buses that operate on Wacker Drive, Canal, Clinton
and Halsted will experience delays due to heavy traffic and intermittent
street closures in the vicinity. CTA bus routes subject to delays include:
#1 Indiana/Hyde Park
#7 Harrison
#8 Halsted
#14 Jeffery Express
#20 Madison
#X20 Washington/Madison Express
#X28 Stony Island Express
#37 Sedgwick
#38 Ogden/Taylor
#56 Milwaukee
#60 Blue Island/26th
#120 North Western/Wacker Express
#122 Illinois Center/North Western Express
#124 Navy Pier
#125 Water Tower Express
#126 Jackson
#127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator
#129 West Loop/South Loop
#134 Stockton/LaSalle Express
#135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express
#136 Sheridan/LaSalle Express
#151 Sheridan
#156 LaSalle
#157 Streeterville
#192 U of Chicago Hospitals Express
CTA operations personnel will monitor bus service and traffic flow to make
adjustments in service as needed.
Discovery Times Channel Program: 9/11 TOXIC LEGACY
It is absolutely frightening what is happening now to NYC cops, firemen, EMTs and other workers who served at Ground Zero. There have been lingering deaths, cases of severe asthma, lymphoma and other cancers not to mention the post traumatic stress disorders.
The toxic effects of breathing glass dust and other airborne garbage is catching us to everyone who worked at Ground Zero. The government, especially the NYC government is stonewalling their claims for health care and disability benefits. It is almost a case of the ones who died at the scene are the lucky ones, they did not suffer and their families were treated with generosity. The ones who are dieing now are being ignored and their families are bankrupted by the medical costs. Given the track record of benefits cuts by this mayor, what can we expect?
The stated policy of the Chicago Police Department on this subject is, "IT IS NOT PRACTICAL TO TRAIN INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO A TERRORIST ATTACK." Is anyone curious who said that? Can anyone imagine the police casualties that would occur if masses of untrained and unprotected police officers charge into a Ground Zero Cloud!?!
If Chicago were hit and the basics of how a city supports life were to break down? I am sure that our Mayor has a plan to have city workers immediately cover the flowerpots with mulch and tarps to prevent damage to the Bean. Is there a plan to protect the lungs of the emergency workers?
The only piece of equipment we have been issued to deal with a Ground Zero is an automobile.
As the Peter Karl video suggests, your best protection is distance. This Discovery Times Program should be viewed at our Roll Calls.
Please advise everyone to Fly the Flag on 9/11
I sure hope Supt Cline has your backs on this one!!!! Hopefully nobody gets injuried tomorrow and that they will be appropriate coverage.
When the Blue Line derailed, there were all kinds of riff raff coming out.
Stay safe...
Working a beat car on 9-11-01 and the months afterwards I would have to say that most nonsense calls decreased dramatically, freeing up manpower. Not sure if it was due to OEC just filing them or citizens realizing there are more important things going on that the police need to handle. But, after a couple months the calls dramatically increased with everyone thinking Bin ladden was sending them anthrax.
"Shoot to Kill" what are you talking about,looters. Honestly, if you can shoot a looter or think about shooting at looters you need to be in jail.
If I was in SOS or OCD Prostitution I would be asking my doc for prozac right about now. This is GOING TO BE BIG! And it's not going to be pretty for the Department. From Super Heros in SOS with a chestful of medals to little Operation "ANGELS" in OCD putting a double black eyes on the badge.
C.Kirk said...
"Shoot to Kill" what are you talking about,looters. Honestly, if you can shoot a looter or think about shooting at looters you need to be in jail.
9/07/2006 02:40:03 AM
Does anyone else want to take a shot at this? And explain "Sarcasm and Silliness" to him while your at it. Thanks.
If we aren't, we should be talking about a "shoot to kill" policy in the event something happens here. As much as I detest the Daley clan, at least the old man had something you lack. Balls and common sense. Anybody with an OUNCE of common sense realizes that shooting looters is a vital component of maintaining law and order during civil insurrection or an attack by terrorists. They are the scum of the earth and should be dealt with in such a manner. How long do you think the L.A riots would have gone on if the Police out there had taken out a few looters? Not very long IMO. You should go there and talk to some of those Asian shopkeepers who defended their stores with guns when they were about to be looted, and see if they agree with your take on looting.
Jail for shooting looters? I think not. I would however agree with naming a downtown street after any copper that does shoot a looter so that his bravery, common sense, dedication to his job, oath and the citizens of this great City will be remembered forever.
C. Kirk- your not an asshat, your worse than that. Your an ASSWIPE!
Its always baffled me how this Dept. can clear the streets and re-route buses in the downtown area in preparation for a disaster drill. Does anyone really think that the enemy is going to give us notice of when they are going to strike so that we can leave town early?
The only way to get a real feel for what can happen is to have the drill without prior notice to the public generally. People who have been listening to the news over the last 3 days and have any sense will simply avoid the downtown or alter their schedules to avoid the crunch. The diminished numbers alone will defeat any real training objective.
This sounds more like a dog and pony show to make the bosses look good on national T.V. . . .
It is confirmed that in the halls of Congress, and rumored the in our City Hall, that taped under the seat of every politician is a self contained ESCAPE HOOD.
This is so the politicians can excape a bombed office building. Has anything been issued to police officer who might be ordered to enter a bombed building?
I can't even comment on the stupidity of the believing that the police in a looting incident should be imprisoned. Suffice it to say you, sir are the closest thing to a perfect idiot I have read on this blog since OLE was checked into the boards
On a side note what 3rd watch WC in 019 has been off the mood altering meds this week? Yelling at the troops for nonsense because some barely literate newbie SGT doesn't know how to supervise!?! Is he upset about the former Governor's sentence? Open the office door,the men are wondering what you are doing in there
What a missed opportunity: During this massive cluster F'....the city should also have a road safety check of all of those vehicles that are going to be bogged down in traffic anyway. Probably could have covered the cost of this imaginary catatrophy
and make a few bucks "to boot". No pun intended..
Remember what Richard J. Daley said in 1968, "The policeman is not here to cause disorder. The policeman is here to preserve disorder."
Any initials of the women involved at OCD ?
Nice evacuation drill! No suprise to when it's going to happen. Streets closed at 9am so they can set up trauma/decontamination tents. Nothing spontanious about it. I sure feel safer!!!!!!!!!!! Do you?
What actual steps are in place in the event we are attacked by terrorists?
Are we (CPD/CFD) prepared for this?
It's scary when you think about it.
Wow! Lefty actually knows his history, albeit selective and off topic. Since you've become such a history buff of all things socialist, Let me axe you a question.
Which socialist, in your opinion, would be better at stopping terrorism?
Lenin, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, Castro, Chirac, or Carter?
Thanks for that lesson in history lefty. Now go back to your library of commie propaganda.
I don't know what it was with CW5 today but the reception was so terrible, I could barely make out anything that was instructed over the air today. The only thing I could make out was the dispatcher who was very clear.
Did anyone else who worked it today have any problems?
God forbid we should have any working radios, especially in a situation where we need it the most.
I was doing traffic control at one of the closed streets when an inspector came up to me and brought two things to my attention.
My baseball hat cant be worn with the pants I had on and I could not have my second set of handcuffs on an exposed holder.
Let me get this straight.
I have to go to work every day looking over my shoulder for terrorist activity to keep myself, my family, fellow cops and the citizens safe? Ok. I'll do that. Its my job.
I look over my shoulder every day for gang bangin punks, drug dealers and other misfits of our city who at any given moment would cut my throat if they could because Im in the way. Ok. I'll do that, its my job. But I'll be damm if Im going to look over my shoulder for an insector every day because my hat and pants dont match!!!
I bought 6 pairs of pants and 6 new shirts 2 weeks before the new pants were authorized. Im not going to buy another thing for a few years.
Inspectors should be looking for bad cops on the take, not the constantly changing uniform configuration.
On the contrary, the evacuation drill yesterday was necessary. How many buildings have an evacuation plan in place in the downtown area? Furthermore, how many individuals know what to do when a real disaster exists? Everyone (especially civilians) needs to be prepared for when it happens again. Has anyone been through the TARA training? There will be another terrorist attack against the U.S. it’s just a matter of when… The city should move to continue the evacuation drills and to include other buildings. My hats off to those who participated and those who put it together.
LEFT THE BEST A COPPER?
I suppose that there are a few liberal cops but I have never really met one. But of course I have always worked the street, an area of police work liberals would tend to shy away from. Come out from under your desks Libs. and lets see who you are.
the IRA always gave advanced warning, but then they were gentlemenly terrorists. Not like todays thugs
Yesterday's "terrorist evacuation" bullshit was just another dog and pony show produced by Daley.
Was there any estimate of police casualties, immediate and long term that would come from sending in a large number of untrained, and unequipped officers into a cloud of glass dust. If there was such a Ground Zero cloud around there, the worst thing to do may be to evacuate an intact building.
We have all seen the videos of 9/11 and seen the cloud of glass dust and debris. Also see the Discovery Times Channel program 9/11 TOXIC LEGACY.
Let face it, this exercise showed how UNprepared we are, it was all just a big CAPS Meeting.
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