Wright-Patterson plans ‘major emergency’ exercise today

Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Wesley F

Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Wesley F

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will conduct a “major emergency-management exercise” simulating mass casualties today.

An 88th Air Base Wing’s team will evaluate the exercise response across the base, the base public affairs office said Tuesday afternoon.

Those on and off the large base may see and hear evidence of “increased security measures,” the base said.

The base is warning that smoke and fire effects may be used during the exercise, emergency-response vehicles will move around the base, some roads may be temporarily blocked and traffic at base entrances “could be backed up or rerouted to other entry-control points if a gate is closed.”

“As an important reminder, since this is an exercise and training event, individuals on and around the base should not call 911,” the base said in a release.

Surrounding communities may hear the sirens or base’s “giant voice” public address system. They “are advised it is part of the training exercise, unless otherwise notified,” the installation said.

Last month, a report of gunshots at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson resulted in a four-hour evening lockdown of the Greene County base, with continuous updates by the base public address system.

In the end, no shooter was found, no one was hurt, arrested or detained, base leaders said.

“We’re still working through the investigation piece, because obviously that was not a gunshot that those individuals heard. We are trying to sort through what that may have been,” Col. Patrick Miller, 88th Air Base Wing commander, said in a video the next day.

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