Coast Guard Training Exercise to Include Explosion and Smoke

Don't be alarmed if you hear an explosion and see smoke coming from the Detroit River at about 9 a.m. on Aug. 23.

The noise is part of a training exercise put on by 65 different U.S. and Canadian federal, state and local emergency response agencies to take place on Aug. 23 and 24 along the Detroit River from north Trenton to Detroit and Windsor.

The exercise is designed to help agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard prepare for cross-border security, mass rescue and oil-spill response, according to a Coast Guard release.

The passenger vessel the Detroit Princess will be anchored near the Detroit Port Authority Complex along Jefferson Avenue and is said to have smoke coming from the vessel.

"This exercise promotes unity of effort for participant agencies. It will test and validate the Area Maritime Security Plan and contingency plans of all responding agencies," according to the release.

Areas of focus for the exercise include:

• maritime search-and-rescue capabilities
• mass rescue operations management
• shoreside community mass casualty incident capabilities
• landing/triage site management, survivor handling and accountability
• public information outreach (media management)

The exercise is three years in the making and according to the release "is designed to challenge participants to make difficult decisions, carry out essential functions and maintain a common operating picture during an incident of international significance."

The Coast Guard said there should be no cause for alarm and any questions or concerns regarding the controlled explosion should be addressed to the Coast Guard at 313-567-3007.

Look for a video and photos of the training exercise on Trenton Patch.