A four-day simulation of a foreign terrorist incident is set to start throughout Juneau on Sunday, with National Guard members from other states joining local emergency responders in the exercise.
Operation ORCA is an interagency joint training exercise conducted in Alaska every two years. Participants simulate detecting and responding to emergencies such as chemical, biological, radiological and explosive threats. In total, about 100 personnel will be traveling to Juneau to participate.
“Juneau was primarily selected for its maritime environment and the unique challenges it brings,” Dana Rosso, chief of operations for Alaska National Guard Public Affairs, wrote in an email.
This year’s ORCA exercise simulates a foreign terrorist group targeting multiple locations in Juneau. The scenario involves a different chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive weapon at each location.
These exercises seek to improve and maintain response procedures for real-world emergencies of national significance. The Alaska National Guard is leading the exercise in coordination with local, state, tribal and federal partners, as well as National Guard units from other states. Capital City Fire/Rescue and the Juneau Police Department will also be participating.
The AJ Dock, Capital City Fire Training Area and Juneau International Airport have been identified as possible training locations, with no road closures.
Three streets surrounding the Alaska State Capitol Building – Seward Street from 4th to 5th Street, 4th from Main Street to Seward Street, and 5th Street from Main Street to Seward Street – will be closed to traffic from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 9, 10, and 12. Pedestrians will still be able to access these streets as long as they do not interfere with the exercise. The National Guard does not expect the exercise to impact local businesses along these streets and is providing personnel and signage.
The Alaska National Guard warns that, in addition to street closures, residents may hear and see activity associated with emergency response, such as increased military and emergency personnel, specialized equipment, increased military aircraft operations, and sirens.
The last ORCA exercise in June 2023 was conducted in Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Nome and Kotzebue. The 2023 simulation involved participation from the FBI, Homeland Security, local and state organizations, as well as National Guard units from Washington, Nebraska, Mississippi, Kansas, Ohio, Hawaii and Kentucky.
The details of each ORCA operation are shared with other state National Guard units, who can volunteer to participate in the operation if it aligns with their goals and training objectives. Currently, Civil Support Teams (CST) from California, Virginia, Montana, Oregon and Texas will be joining the Alaska CST in this exercise, as well as a unit from the Homeland Response Force from Washington, and units from the Alaska Army National Guard and Alaska Air National Guard. Civil Support Teams are National Guard units that specialize in responding to weapons of mass destruction.
A week of setup will be followed by a 24- to 36-hour simulation on June 9 and 10. June 11 will be a rest day and any final tasks will be completed on June 12.
Personnel at each location will be able to review what went well and how their response can improve. A more formal review of the entire operation will be conducted on June 13.
• Contact Natalie Buttner via editor@juneauempire.com or (907) 744-1980.
