Simulation exercise: Foot and mouth disease in the United States of America-Canada-2

Dr John Clifford, Deputy Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture informed the OIE that a simulation exercise called “Vigilant Guard Region VII Exercise” will take place in his country from 18 to 24 June 2009.

This exercise is a training event designed to provide military and civilian first responders with an opportunity to review existing plans while promoting coordination between various agencies in response to a variety of homeland security threats.

The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate player actions against current response plans and capabilities for a variety of emergency incidents. These include severe flooding in the states of Iowa and Nebraska; Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Explosive-related train derailments in Iowa and Kansas; and a regional foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri; and release of anthrax into the food supply in Iowa.

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Animal Health Information Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
[email protected]