News Release Archive

Reclamation and Law Enforcement Emergency Response Training Exercise at Flaming Gorge Dam

Media Contact: Lisa Iams, (801) 524-3673, 05/04/2009 13:26
Sgt. Jeff Nigbur

For Release: May 04, 2009

On May 6, 2009, the Bureau of Reclamation along with county, state, and federal law enforcement emergency response entities will participate in a counter-terrorism training exercise at Flaming Gorge Dam in Daggett County, Utah. The day-long exercise is intended to provide opportunities for specialized law enforcement groups to test and assess emergency response strategies and tactics, communication and coordination, and incident management.

The Utah Department of Public Safety is coordinating the exercise in harmony with Reclamation, Daggett County, and the FBI. The exercise will begin at 8:00 a.m. with a simulated terrorist take-over of the Flaming Gorge Visitor Center and continue throughout the day until 4:00 p.m. Exercise scenarios will occur concurrently to allow all involved agencies to practice tactical emergency response actions within the eight-hour time frame.

This is the second counter-terrorism training exercise conducted at Flaming Gorge Dam. The first exercise in 2003 was also the first time Reclamation was involved in planning and conducting a counter-terrorism training exercise. Since that time, similar exercises have been conducted at other Reclamations facilities. Each exercise provides invaluable opportunities to work cooperatively with all involved agencies to clarify roles, responsibilities, and authorities; test communication capabilities; and practice critical law enforcement and emergency response tactics and strategies. These exercises are conducted in the interest of national security to ensure the safety of the public, facility employees, and to protect critical water and power infrastructure in the event of a threat.

The knowledge and insight gained through this functional exercise will be used by each participating agency to make improvements to their emergency response plan strategies, and be incorporated into plans for similar future exercises.

In order to conduct the exercise, US-191 over the crest of Flaming Gorge Dam will be subject to periods of temporary closure for up to 15 minutes from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Residents and visitors to the area may experience temporary inconveniences during the exercise as a result of these closures. In addition, the Flaming Gorge Visitor Center will open an hour later than usual at 10:00 a.m. and remain open until 5:00 p.m., however all tours of the dam will be suspended for the day. Recreation activities on the reservoir or below the dam should not be affected by the exercise.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.