Well, I just finished experiencing the terror drill...

[Flabbergasted]

(No not me)

Oregon Department of Transportation, Region 1 headquarters, Topoff 4 results

Well, I just finished experiencing the terror drill going on in Portland, OR today. Scenario: a dirty bomb just went off on the Steel Bridge, less than 1 block from where I work. Simulated damage is we've lost the MAX connection across the river, the railroad line, and one of 8 bridges, and the air is full of radioactive dust.

ODOT Region 1 headquarters response: Evacuate the nice filtered air conditioned building that was untouched by the explosion, protected by three separate approach spans to the bridge, to send everybody outside into the rain that is now supposedly polluted with radioactive dust. Take a full head count of 600 employees to make sure there are no survivors, and that everybody is now dying of massive lung cancer before letting them back in the building.

Never let it be said that I don't post stories about governmental stupidity in my own department.


When I get home tonight, I'll definately be writing a letter to the editor in the Oregonian about it.

I could see evacuating the building for an earthquake, and certainly a full nuclear device set off on the Steel Bridge would cause enough destruction to impact this building. But an RDD? For that, the response was almost as inappropriate as the day that we evacuated for a gas leak in the street next to the building.


http://technocrat.net/d/2007/10/16/28826

[Andy Canuck]

1. They are just trying to kill off all you lefties in Portland.

[rudy23]

5. New Orleans had disaster prep drills, too.

It was good practice for them when dealing with all the lefties in New Orleans, as well.

[ixion]

2. yet another brilliant plan from the Fed..

:wow: :puke: :eyes:

[The Magistrate]

3. Things Like This, Sir, Restore My Faith In Government....

"You can't just send off a couple of ceral box tops for stupidity like this, you have to work for it for years."

[hobbit709]

4. Amazing how many disaster plans

involve this kind of thinking. My attitude has always been that when the feces hits the air impeller blades, it is NOT a good idea to run in the direction it's coming from. But every disaster plan I've seen has always worked on that concept.

[rudy23]

6. Nobody said it was a disaster *rescue* plan. It's a disaster plan. Just like Hurricane Pam.

They planned that disaster pretty well.

Sorry, I just came back from Portland, and found it to be so good, I'm afraid it will suffer the same fate as my other favorite city, New Orleans.

[Hydra]

7. Eugenics at its best! n/t