The probability of a terrorist attack in Minot may not be very high, but that's no excuse to be un-prepared for such an event.

A two-day anti-terrorism exercise is helping area military crews and emergency personnel better prepare, and as Dan Erdmann reports, it's nothing to be taken lightly.

(Dan Erdmann, KX News) It's a phone call that no emergency responder would want to receive. A deceased man has been found in Minot's Water Treatment Plant, with several empty chemical vials beside him. That means the city's main water source may be contaminated. Of course, these circumstances are not real, but the response definitely is. If situations like this one do arise, individuals like Colonel James Gallagher spring into action.

(Col. James Gallagher, Minot AFB) "This actually is an anti-terrorism exercise for the base and seeing how we respond to an event downtown with Minot proper. And then, do we talk to them? Do we not talk to them? Can we improve our communications with them?"


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) And communication is key in this scenario. Gallagher is commander of the 5th Mission Support Group at the Minot Air Force Base, and today, he was also in command of the Emergency Operations Center for the exercise. This group's duties include constant communication with Minot personnel, as well as protection of water entering the base. While continuous updates arrived, the National Guard's 81st Civil Support Team and several other emergency crews gathered in Minot to tackle the source of the problem.

(Lt. Col. Larry Shireley, ND National Guard) "The scenario is there's a chemical lab in there and we want to try and identify what's going on."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) That meant bundling up in these hazmat suits before entering the Water Treatment Plant. Just as they would in a real life situation, the group inspected the facility and permormed all the necessary tests. Thankfully, no dangerous chemicals or biological weapons were found, but even performing an exercise takes cooperation.

(Lt. Col. Larry Shireley, ND National Guard) "We can really coordinate with our first responders, because that's really what our role as the Civil Support Team is; to provide civil support to the first responders throughout the state."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) And although practice is said to make perfect, this is one operation these crews hope they never have to perform.

(Col. James Gallagher, Minot AFB) "We can't choose the date a terrorist is going to come and strike us, if they ever was to happen, so we just prepare for the worst case scenario and this is one of those times for us to hone our skills and make sure we're ready to go."


(Dan Erdmann, KX News) Dan Erdmann, KX News.

The exercise will wrap up tomorrow with a majority of events taking place at the Minot Air Force Base. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list