Coast Guard to train for attack on Cedar Point

While this sounds pretty horrible to think about, I give them a lot of credit for being proactive and prepared. I would think that small-town agencies would be far more prone to disarray in the event of a disaster, so it's good to see them preparing for the worst.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, when it's all in your mind. You gotta let go." - Ghetto, Supreme Beings of Leisure

Well, I am glad to see this taking place. One of the greatest attributes of Cedar Point can also be its greatest liability in the event of a disaster or, in this case, an attack. There is basically only one way on and off the peninsula. Evacuating that place on a busy day would be quite a feat.

(I know there is the chausee and the causeway but we all know how long it can take to get off the Point on a "normal" day.)

I'm glad to know that they will be prepared for the worst. However I don't know whether to feel better or worse. Ok, I feel better about the Coast Guard knowing what to do, and worse about some nutcase maybe getting an idea.

If something were to ever happen, you'll see me in my local recuiting center for some branch of the military, probably my favorite, the Coast Guard, or should we call them the Coaster Guard?

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AkA somewhatchewy
"Some guy walked up to me on the street and asked what is punk. So I kicked over a trash can and said, thats punk. He kocked over a trash can and said, so that's punk? I said no, that's trendy." Billy Joe Armstrong, Green Day *** This post was edited by InCLinE_LOoPeR on 11/7/2002. ***

Trust me, Im not trying to be negative and see practice and training to be a very good thing. If you could save one life in the event of a attack it would be worth every penny, all the practice.

The biggest thing they could train for though in my view is prevention and this gose to some very high up intellegence. Groups. As well as park security ect.

Face it, If one nuke or nerve gas bomb went off, There is not alot you could do, AFTER THE FACT!

Chuck, just trying to elaborate, And thinks in many possible instances this training would do wonders.

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Charles Nungester.
Is it about coasters or friends? I say both!

Just a few years ago this would have seemed far-fetched. Their is man going to trial in Michigan who had plans to attack a federal building, Cedar Point and a bridge. Sign of the times I guess. Got to agree with Charles Nungester that prevention is much prefered over reaction, but, glad they are training for such acts of terrorism.

Jim "Soapbox" Wolgamuth

Glad to see them doing this. Hope they will never need their training.

Will CP be installing metal detectors at the gates like some of the other parks have.

That must be why the park cams are down today.

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There is a new twist in the Top-Hat. :)

If you think in terms of potential targets in Ohio, what comes to mind? It certainly isn't Amish Country.

The major sports stadiums such as Ohio Stadium, Cleveland Browns Stadium, Jacobs Field, Paul Brown Stadium (well, probably not).

Then you would look at the major metropolitan areas, maybe the Cincinnatti and Cleveland bridges but right up there on the list would have to be the amusement parks with there 20,000 plus people in them on a given day.

In today's world, prevention is key.

One little pet peeve not meant as a slam...

weather = rain, sleet, snow, etc.

whether = one or more alternatives.

Just from seeing the name "Operation Demon Drop", it'd be pretty funny if they turned this Intamin 1st Gen Freefasll into a gun turret.

But again, why CP? It's too far north. Disney would be the prime target if terrorists were to go after amusement parks.

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-Kyle Brylczyk
KoRn - Untouchables

I have to second that, coaster131. And presuming a nuclear (or "nuk-u-lar" as some pronounce it) weapon was used, there wouldn't be too much to respond to on the point.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

CP is closed for the season and is on the lake so it is a good place to train. Disney it would be to hard to do since its always open.

Cedar Point is too far north? Where is the World Trade Center? Let's just say I am Joe Terrorist. Do you think I am planning to go after targets that everyone is expecting me to go after or do you think I might try to catch everyone off guard with a less obvious target?

Guys, read the article. They're doing it in a room at the Radisson, not actually on-point.

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http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~bnoble/

Oh its like a mock disater training meeting to get all local acengy on the same page. I was part of one once that had a tanker truck hiting a crowded play ground. They did us up with fake wounds and I even took the tshirt I had on and burned it some before putting it on. They treated it like the real thing fire police and ambulances. I was loaded on a back board then took to a wating ambulance and off to the local ER. Then they let me go. It was fun. *** This post was edited by Otto on 11/7/2002. ***

Whew! From the title I thought Markey had given the Coast Guard orders to attack the Point.

According to the article, the attack the training was focused on was one of a chemical nature, not nuclear. As such, I would have to agree with Otto about the kind of training going on at the Raddisson. With that type of terrorist attack, there would be something to respond to, and because of its location, the Raddison would make a logical location for the situational HQ, local triage center, etc.

I think that this type of attack is something that alot of the authorities really overlook, but which may be a real possiblity. I know that when I go to a park, I like to forget the world around me, but at the same time, anywhere like Disney or CP with 50-100 thousand people at it every day during the busy season makes it a real target for terror attacks. I applaud the Coast Guard and the local Sandusky authorities for making the attempt to lay out contingency plans that will make all of our visits to CP a little safer and more relaxed.

As for the reason that a terrorist might chose Cedar Point for an attack, you only need to consider someone hopped up on dipping dots who can't control his anger while waiting for french fries at the slowest McDonalds on the planet.

I am in total agreement that the too far north statement is bull. The WTC had about 10,000 in it on average. Thats a very slow day at the point.

The shame of it is, They want to make as much noise as possible when doing these attacks.

Chuck, who wonders if stringing terroist up by their gonads is a act of terroism?

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Charles Nungester.
Is it about coasters or friends? I say both!

No chuck that would be considered PPV quality entertainment.

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Be nice to ride op's. No matter how slow unfriendly and uncaring they may seem Most work hard to make your day great.

Wow! This is very interesting.

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Millennium Timbers - 310 foot tall wooden GG comming to the Michigan's Adventure nearest to you