PB ARSENAL EXERCISE RUNS SMOOTHLY

By Bobbie Crockett/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF

WHITE HALL -- Just after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, piercing sirens filled the morning quiet at the Pine Bluff Arsenal.

Throughout the military base, an announcement declared, "This is a test exercise. This is only a test exercise."

That message was followed by instructions to those in sections of the Arsenal to evacuate along designated routes.

The simulation gave military personnel and civilians a chance to experience what an evacuation would be like in an actual emergency.

Shortly after the first outdoor warning sirens sounded, cars, trucks and vans began streaming from the Arsenal's Plainview Gate and from the Warbritton Gate.

"This is not a test -- this is a lesson," Col. Thomas Woloszyn, Arsenal commander, said before the exercise began.

The goal was to prepare everyone for a real crisis and enhance their ability to save lives, protect the environment and restore the area, he said.

The sirens alerted personnel of a "simulated accident" and emergency responders moved into position.

One lesson learned was that while the notification system did its job, some people found the verbal announcements hard to understand. That issue should be addressed once a new outdoor alert system goes into effect, an Arsenal official said.

Installed in Jefferson and Grant counties as part of the Chemical Stockpile Preparedness Program, that new siren system will be tested today between 8 a.m. and noon.

From the Arsenal's Operations Center on Wednesday, Woloszyn said the simulated accident involved three rockets containing a nerve agent that spilled while in transport to a demilitarization and disposal facility.

Wednesday's event -- part of ongoing training at the Arsenal -- marked the first time that base residents, contractors and employees have been involved in an Arsenal-wide evacuation, Woloszyn said.

About 2,000 people evacuated to off-post assembly areas where they checked in with supervisors.

By 9 a.m., cars were rolling into a parking lot of The Pines mall, one of the assembly areas. Evacuees also gathered at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's Golden Lion Stadium.

By 9:34 a.m., the Joint Information Center in downtown Pine Bluff was open to provide information from the Army, state and local government agencies regarding the simulated "chemical release" at the Arsenal.

About an hour after the exodus from the post began, Larry Wright, an Arsenal civilian executive, stood in the front of those at the command center.

"All evacuees have departed the Arsenal and arrived at the receiving centers safely," he announced.

During the incident, personnel were deployed to contain the "hazard" and clean up the site.

Non-essential personnel evacuated, others sheltered in place and some provided traffic control and security.

Wayne Ruthven, director of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, observed the exercise.

"From where I stand, I think it's going very well -- both the evacuation and the notification," he said, as the event came to an end.

The exercise comes only months before the Arsenal is to begin incineration of its chemical weapons stockpile in February.

It was done in cooperation with the Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management, the state Department of Emergency Management and state and local law enforcement agencies.

"Looks like everything went according to plan and things happened safely," said Jennie Kirby, public affairs officer for the Arsenal

Kirby said transportation and accountability for equipment and personnel went well, but there was one issue in communication.

Outdoor sirens, tone alert radios and automated call systems are all used to alert people of an emergency.