Disaster training in Austin to prepare for terror threats

Training for radiological attack scenarios in Austin

The City of Austin along with the state and federal government teamed up for an important training exercise on Wednesday. It was a simulation of what would happen if terrorists denoted a dirty bomb in the city.

AUSTIN, Texas - Don’t be alarmed if you see people wearing hazmat suits throughout the city. It's part of some training that is taking place.

More than 30 agencies from local, state, and federal are training in Austin. They are preparing on the off chance terrorists target the city.

"Some of the reasons why we do this is to provide deterrence. If we can show we have a quality rapid response that we can minimize fear and chaos. We can take away that key objective from terrorists. Their ability to create fear and chaos," said Jq Crocker the Director of the office of Nuclear Response.

Specifically, this training is to simulate if terrorists were to set off a dirty bomb within the city and how they should respond.

Throughout the week they’ll be using various types of equipment to see how it handles in a city environment. In some areas of the city, you may see people dressed up in hazmat suits and other gear. They'll be testing drones and communication equipment as well as testing in the skies using both helicopters and airplanes.

This training has been in the works for the past 18 months.