Coast Guard to train for attack on Cedar Point

Posted | Contributed by supermandl

The Coast Guard will hold a training exercise today simulating a terrorist attack using weapons of mass destruction against the amusement park Cedar Point. The exercise, called Operation Demon Drop, is an opportunity for all concerned agencies to meet together, and discuss the ability to respond to an emergency.

Read more from The Port Clinton News Herald.

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Good idea, because I'm SURE that people are just DYING to attack Cedar Point!

Well, maybe SFMM...... ;^)

"Someone's watching a little too much Rollercoaster!"

Ahh, I love that movie.

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Fear the Wrath of the Orient Express!!
http://www.wofcoasters.com-8.net

Wahoo Skipper,

Although Cedar Point could easily be used as a target, JOE Terrorist actually looks for the most high profile areas as to attract the attention of the whole world. They typically aren't into low profile suprise attacks, by definition.

Is the new coaster supposed to be red, white, and blue? I would think if it is the media attention could make it a high profile target for any terrorist groups out there.

I don't like this idea.

Of course this is all coming from the 9/11 attacks. Everything that was attacked or was meant to be attacked was governmental. They were trying to hurt our government(which they did), they weren't trying to kill a lot of people. They did on the way though. If they were going for numbers there are plenty of places that hold 20 times more people than CP. This is just my opinion, attacking CP would not hurt us that much.


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?

Sorry to get technical, but the Coast Guard is NOT in the Department of Defense (under normal circumstances). It is Department of Transportation. The only time is is in the DoD, is during wartime, which then it falls under the rule of Department of the Navy. But, either way, if you were to join any branch, good ups. After 9-11-01, I was pissed at terrorists, so I wanted to join a branch of military, but was a few months too young. As soon as I was able to, I signed up for the US Marine Corps. Which is going to be cool, because I will get to travel alot...and ride coasters all over the globe. :)

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Rob


"Some people spend an entire LIFETIME wondering if they made a DIFFERENCE. The MARINES don't have that problem." -President Reagan 1985

Jeff's avatar

The World Trade Center wasn't government (actually there was NY port authority, but I digress). The point of that target was that it was a symbol of our economic power, the heart of our financial community.

And what's not to like? Do you pay property taxes? I do, and I really want to know that my local people, the front lines in any kind of attack, are properly trained.

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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

After what happened at Chessington last week, this scenario is suddenly not that far fetched anymore.

Just remember our lesson from the movie "Rollercoaster" - we have to keep going as normal because "So they don't hit us today, they'll hit us tommorow or the day after, that is unless you want me to close permanantly" Just to clarify, especially given Jeff's comment below, which I don't know if that was aimed at me or not. I'm not suggesting being passive, and yes I beleive that the drills and planning meetings that seem to be taking place at every major venue do have merit. What I am saying is that while prevention is great to have, you had better have a game plan ready for reacting to whatever happens. (For those that didn not get the quote, in the movie "Rollercoaster" they were considering closing down Magic Mountain for the day as a way of thwarting the terrorist in that movie. In our reality we can't close down, but we can make sure our forces pre-actionary and re-actionary are at their best.)

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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville *** This post was edited by Coasterville Dave on 11/8/2002. ***

The thought of a chlorine cloud descending on Cedar Point is just downright terrible to think about, unless the cloud drifts over to the Red Garter Saloon during a dance number.

ALF is cool,

In the USMC, when you go overseas it's pretty difficult to go to a park unless you are actually stationed there and learn how to go about it. Usually, you'll just go on a 6 month deployment and spend a few days or a couple of weeks at each spot. Unless you are REALLY close to a park, uou won't be able to travel long distances to go to a park as you will have to get back on ship later that night.

Stateside, you will be able to travel anywhere but you can do that now if you have a car. There will be instances, however, that you may get to go to California or some other state that has good coasters and may get some time off to visit a park.

Your experience may vary, though.

Anyway, good luck and SEMPER FI

the thrill, USMC Infantry 1986-1990. US Marine Corps: When it absolutely, positively, has to be destroyed overnight.

I just think it is un-neccesary. If terrorists wanted to kill a lot of people at one time, there are MANY places that hold way more than CP does in a smaller area too.

Jeff's avatar

So you're an expert on terrorism? You'd just rather that local forces not be trained to handle the worst case scenario? That makes absolutely zero sense.

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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

coasterqueenTRN's avatar

If terrorists were to attach a park, I would assume it would be something like Disney World. I can't really see them attacking Cedar Point, but ya never know!

In any event, I don't give things that may or may not happen a second thought.

Time to jump in the lake and swim baby! (just kidding)

Tina

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Feel The Adrenaline....
www.intenserides.com

Training of this sort is terribly valuable for reacting to any sort of disaster. In many ways, it's not the particular scenario used for training that counts, so much as the various agencies being accustomed to working with each other on any scenario.

Baltimore has a group called SBIMAP (South Baltimore Industrial Mutual Aid Plan) which goes far beyond its name in emergency preparedness. The group coordinates the efforts of fire, police, local government, Red Cross, industry, and others in the event of an emergency. The members meet regularly and at least once per year conduct a large scale emergency drill.

When a train crash and subsequent fire occurred in a tunnel under Baltimore City, it was something that SBIMAP hadn't drilled specifically for; but the agencies were used to working together and responded well because they had practiced for emergencies. In addition to goverment agencies, private industry also provided materials and expertise to deal with the fire.

Really, how hard would it be for a terrorist group to head through the great lakes through locks and such? I don't know how secure the locks are and if security has been heightened since 9/11. Would it be feasible with minimal cover like fake clearance, or do they have a system with more depth to it?

Cedar Point is right in the middle of Lake Erie, so getting to the peninsula wouldn't be too hard. A park like Disney is landlocked, is it not?

NOBODY is an expert on terrorism, if there were experts on it, 9/11 would have never happened. I think they should be trained to handle a worse case scenario, but Terrorists attacking CP certainly isn't the worst thing that they could do.
I really think this is a great idea that Cedar Point is doing, and I think other parks should do the same;)

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Webmaster,
Brenton http://kpexpress.coolfreepages.com:)

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