(Lincoln, Neb.) Many state and local agencies were involved today in a joint exercise today to test readiness of officials and emergency personnel in responding to a simulated attack on a college campus. Dubbed “TERREX 2011,” the exercise involved hundreds of participants on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) campus.

Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy, Nebraska’s Director of Homeland Security, was among the state officials monitoring today’s exercise.

“This exercise helps those responsible for the safety and security on the UNL campus to be better prepared should an actual situation occur,” Lt. Gov. Sheehy said. “We want to identify areas where response plans can be strengthened. TERREX is an important part of our planning efforts, which have helped keep Nebraska ahead of the curve in emergency preparedness. It is one part of our ongoing commitment to help ensure the safety of Nebraskans.

“I want to thank UNL leaders and staff, volunteers, first responders and everyone from our partner agencies for their participation today.”

The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) developed the statewide event in coordination with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The exercise also involved the Lincoln Police Department, Lincoln Fire and Rescue, the Lancaster County Sherriff’s Office, three hospitals, the American Red Cross, an out-of-state university, the FBI, as well as NEMA and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

TERREX 2011 tested a number of functions, including: evaluating the local decision-making process, implementation of an incident command system and the transition to a unified command in responding to an incident, activating, staffing and operating a local emergency operations center, establishing and maintaining a multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional communications network, and sharing timely and easy-to understand information.

NEMA plans and coordinates an annual statewide exercise. This was the state’s ninth wide-scale emergency response exercise. Past events have simulated a terrorist attack on state infrastructure, an infectious disease outbreak among livestock, and a flu-like epidemic, among others.