Lion Shake exercise tests Vicenza community

By USAG Vicenza Public AffairsOctober 17, 2008

Lion Shake exercise tests Vicenza community
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Two members of Vigili del Fuoco (Vicenza, Italy, firefighters) start the decontamination process for one of the many volunteer role players exposed to simulated chemical agents during the Lion Shake exercise held Oct. 15 at U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Lion Shake exercise tests Vicenza community
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A member of the Italian Protezione Civile (Civil Emergency Preparedness) takes on the role of a casualty from the initial car bomb blast during the Lion Shake exercise held Oct. 15 at U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza. The annual consequence management/forc... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Lion Shake exercise tests Vicenza community
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

VICENZA, Italy - It all started with a dirty bomb exploding in a car parked in the commissary lot. Dead and wounded were scattered across the area. First responders arrived within minutes.

That's how the exercise scenario for Lion Shake 2008 began Oct. 15 for U.S. and Italian emergency responders on Caserma Ederle.

Led by the Vicenza Prefecture, Lion Shake is an annual Italian-American civil disaster exercise that tests and refines the U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza's consequence management plans and procedures in response to natural or man-made disasters said Col. Erik Daiga, garrison commander.

During a press conference following the exercise, Daiga thanked all of the Italian participants who worked alongside his garrison staff "for their great cooperation and professionalism."

"We know that in a real emergency we would also be required to work closely together to save and protect lives. We could not be successful without your leadership and expertise," he added.

This year, 19 Italian agencies and scores of volunteers trained together alongside their American counterparts in the ninth annual Lion Shake exercise.