The United States Army Task Force 46, a specialized homeland security response unit, is partnering with first responder and health care partners in Philadelphia for the Dense Urban Terrain exercise, also called DUT.
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"The joint training will test interagency planning, search and rescue, communications, and emergency systems during simulated chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear incident responses," the city says.
OEM officials say Philadelphia police and fire departments, military personnel and role players with mock injuries will be visible along with marked vehicles near drill scenario locations between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on these dates. Vehicles include a helicopter and a boat.
The exercise locations are:
- Philadelphia Fire Academy, Northeast Philadelphia (July 27/28)
- Pleasant Hill Park, Northeast Philadelphia (July 27/28)
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- Philadelphia Navy Yard, South Philadelphia (July 27/28)
- CSX Railyard, South Philadelphia (July 27)
- SEPTA NRG Station, South Philadelphia (July 28)
- Port of Philadelphia (July 28)
- Albert Einstein, Penn Presbyterian, Pennsylvania, Temple, and Thomas Jefferson hospitals (July 27/28)
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Officials say there may be temporary traffic and access closures to exercise locations.
This includes parking lots at Linden and Delaware avenues at Pleasant Hill Park, Wells Fargo Center lots A, B, G, and H (Thursday, July 28 only) and the area of Kitty Hawk Ave and League Island Boulevard. Access to the Navy Yard shuttle from NRG stadium and access to SEPTA's NRG station should not be impacted.
For the safety of participants, the city says drone usage is prohibited by the FAA at exercise locations.
Officials say the DUT series of training exercises began in Detroit in 2018 and have also been held in Los Angeles and New York City.
"It is considered one of the nation's premier all-hazard and homeland defense exercises," OEM says.