Disaster response exercise being held throughout Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Multiple emergency response agencies, including the Tennessee National Guard, will be participating in Nashville’s 2023 Dense Urban Terrain exercise, from August 7-10. The exercise is a series of events designed to coordinate and rehearse emergency response to possible chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attacks or disasters.
Training events will be held at sites throughout Nashville to including Nissan Stadium, Vanderbilt University, CSX Railyard, Cleeces Ferry boat ramp, and Bridgestone Arena.
Task Force 46, the leading U.S. Army chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear response force headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, will be the lead agency for the exercise working with the Nashville Office of Emergency Management. Other participating agencies include Nashville Fire Department, Metro Nashville Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Vanderbilt University, CSX, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, Tennessee National Guard, and numerous others.
On August 7, at 10:00 a.m., Nashville Office of Emergency Management and Task Force 46 will host a media conference at Nashville’s Riverfront Park, Court of Flags, to provide more detailed information about the 2023 Nashville DUT exercise. Nashville Mayor John Cooper, and representatives from participating agencies and organizations, will speak on their involvement and the importance of the exercise.
All media interested in attending must RSVP to Kendra Loney, Public Information Officer for Nashville Office of Emergency Management, at Kendra.Loney@nashville.gov by August 4, at noon.
Who:
- Nashville Mayor John Cooper
- Nashville Fire Department and Office of Emergency Director Chief William Swann
- Metro Nashville Police Department Commander Scott Byrd
- Vanderbilt University Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief of Police August Washington
- Vanderbilt University Deputy Chief Tommye Sutton
- CSX Senior Director of State Relations & Government Affairs Jane Covington
- Task Force 46 Military Exercise Director Lt. Col. Kenneth H Middaugh
- Tennessee National Guard Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Warner A. Ross
What: Media kickoff for the Dense Urban Terrain Exercise
When: Monday, August 7, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., CST; RSVP to Kendra.loney@nashville.gov by Aug. 4, at noon
Where: Riverfront Park, Court of Flags (100 1st Ave North)