mock exercise

Military personnel participate in a mock exercise training at Muskegon's Mart Dock involving a fictional terrorist attack in October 2012. On Wednesday, Sept. 24., more than 100 Nation Guard troops and two helicopters will join local law enforcement for another maritime exercise on Muskegon Lake.

(MLive file photo)

MUSKEGON, MI -- A Black Hawk helicopter and military vehicles along with a heavy police and fire presence is bound to get the public's notice when they converge on Muskegon Lake next week.

But alarming as it will appear, the public should not be concerned. The more than 100 emergency personnel will be participating in a mock exercise on Wednesday at the Lake Michigan Dock and Market property downtown.

The maritime exercise involves a fictional scenario in which a captain of a foreign ship calls for help with a disorderly crew who have become sick, said Muskegon Police Chief Jeffrey Lewis. The suspicion is that they have been sickened by an accidental or intentional release of biological toxins, he said.

The Paul H. Townsend cargo ship docked at the Mart Dock will be used in the exercise of Region 6 of the Emergency Management and Homeland Security division of the Michigan State Police.

"The exercise basically is to help us see how we can work alongside the federal government -- the military -- and put our resources together as a team to resolve a situation," said Muskegon County Sheriff Sgt. Dan Stout II, director of emergency services for the county.

"These exercises take a lot of time to plan and coordinate," Stout said. "That's how we get prepared when there's an actual incident."

Participants will include the Muskegon police and fire departments; Muskegon County Sheriff; the Quick Reaction Force, 51st Civil Support Team and Volunteer Defense Force of the Army National Guard; and Ottawa County's hazardous materials team, Stout said.

The National Guard alone is expected to have more than 100 troops on site for Wednesday's exercise, Stout said. In addition to the Black Hawk helicopter, a Lakota helicopter will take part, landing at the Mart Dock where several other military vehicles are expected to respond.

Lewis said monitors will critique the exercise, which could be stopped at times to discuss better ways of approaching various aspects of the exercise.

A planning session for the exercise will be held Tuesday aboard the LST 393, also docked at the Mart Dock.

"It's going probably to raise a few eyebrows," Lewis said of the heavy police and military presence.

Lynn Moore is a reporter for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at lmoore8@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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