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.