NEW YORK – The Coast Guard is advising mariners of a joint-agency anti-terrorism exercise scheduled to take place in the waters of New York Harbor Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Vessel radio traffic during the exercise will be preceded by the words “This is a drill, this is a drill.” Mariners and others who hear what may sound like radio transmissions about a terrorism-related emergency should listen carefully to determine if these messages are part of the exercise.
Securing The Cities is an ongoing, federally funded exercise designed to evaluate the ability of first responder organizations in the tri-state area to detect and interdict radiological materials bound for New York.
This year’s exercise involves the screening of recreational vessels entering New York Harbor via the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Along with the Coast Guard, there will be seven other agencies involved: New York Police Department, New York Fire Department, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York Naval Militia, Perth Amboy, Union County, and Jersey City Police Departments.
