Reposted from "Galesburg 411",
where it may be updated later this week:
http://galesburg411.com/blog/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8

Throughout the world, May 1st is celebrated as Labor Day, but in the US this year, May Day marked the beginning of a nationally coordinated exercise that joins the military with FEMA and civil authorities nationwide.

Word traveled fast after the events of the first day, and drew an immediate response from The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). In an interview with the State Journal-Register, Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR in Chicago says he was contacted by his DC office about drill.

On the calendar of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, which is online, Diana Holmes is listed as the coordinator:

Human Caused Hazards - Civil Disobedience
Agency:Montgomery County
EMAcontact:Diana Holmes
217-532-9560
mcesda99@yahoo.com

. Rehab has made arrangements to discuss it with Montgomery County Undersheriff Rick Robbins, although Holmes claimed to know nothing about the CAIR complaint when the Journal-Register went to press. Rehab also said:

“I want to give the benefit of the doubt to the person who made that decision to make (the drill scenario) a mosque. That person may not know any Muslims or not have enough interaction with the Muslim community…
…I don’t want people to malign this individual or demonize them. We don’t yet known what their intention was.”

The complete story is archived on the Chicago site of CAIR, and a statement from the Montgomery County Sheriff is expected shortly.

Homeland Security wraps up the long week in Illinois with an "Exercise and Evaluation Program" in Woodstock today, which claims to have "full enrollment". Exercises were held in Grundy, Vermillion, Shelby, and Montgomery counties. Will County was graced with a "Full Scale Exercise".

Chicago, in Cook county is not mentioned.

The official announcement from FEMA, as of April 25 is attached at the end of this story, along with a press release from the military.

Apparently, Knox County and Galesburg, Illinois are secure enough to be ignored, as was Chicago and all of Cook County. No FEMA or IEMA events took place in Galesburg this week, where I know there are plenty of citizens who could do well without any extra efforts on their behalf by either the current president or governor.

David Roknich,
Galesburg 411

National Level Exercise Begins In May

Release Date: April 24, 2008
Release Number: HQ-08-063

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Exercise Program (NEP) will conduct National Level Exercise 2-08 (NLE 2-08) a combined functional and full scale exercise from May 1 through May 8. NLE 2-08 will merge the objectives of U.S. Northern Command's (NORTHCOM) Ardent Sentry 2008 exercise, FEMA National Continuity Program's (NCP) Eagle Horizon 2008 exercise (formerly known as Forward Challenge), and FEMA Disaster Operation's Hurricane Preparedness Exercise (HPE).

The purpose of NLE 2-08 is to exercise national capabilities to prepare and respond to multiple incidents including both natural disasters and terrorist incidents. The exercise was designed to include scenario elements addressing hurricane preparedness and response, national continuity capabilities, and Defense Support to Civil Authorities coordination in response to weapons of mass destruction terrorist attacks. The exercise venues involve a Category 4 hurricane impacting the Mid Atlantic Coast and the National Capitol Region and multiple terrorist attacks in Washington State.

Also during NLE 2-08, the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) will test it's response to an accidental chemical agent release at the Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon. Canada will also participate through their Staunch Maple Exercise.

The exercise allows Federal officials to implement continuity plans, test communications connectivity, operations and procedures for performing essential government functions from alternate locations, and interagency coordination. Additionally, it serves to demonstrate that essential functions can be effectively conducted during threats and emergencies.

NLE 2-08 is a NEP exercise conducted within the five year exercise schedule. The NEP is the nation's overarching homeland security exercise program, provides the federal government with a national, interagency wide program and a multi-year planning system to focus, coordinate, plan, conduct, execute, evaluate and prioritize national security and homeland security preparedness-related exercise activities.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

This release has been modified from its original version.
Last Modified: Friday, 25-Apr-2008 14:31:55

Both NORAD and NORTHCOM participated in the events that end today. From a press release at US Northern Command, we read:

“Exercises like NLE 2 – 08 give us the opportunity to work with other federal agencies, state and local officials, as well as Canada, in the response to multiple events,” said Gene Pino, NORAD and USNORTHCOM Joint Training and Exercise director. “This allows us to look at processes and procedures to identify strengths and weaknesses by stressing the system so that we can be better prepared in the future.”

NORAD, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in May, is the bi-national Canadian and American command responsible for the air defense of North America and maritime warning for Canada and the United States.

U.S. Northern Command was established on Oct. 1, 2002, to anticipate and conduct homeland defense and civil support operations within the assigned area of responsibility to defend, protect, and secure the United States and its interests.