[PBARC] FEMA Region 6 & Arkansas To Participate In National Level Catastrophic Exercise In May

[E Glenn Wolf Jr]

  FEMA Region 6 & Arkansas To Participate In National Level Catastrophic
  Exercise In May

Release Date: March 17, 2011
Release Number: R6-11-055

» 2011 Region VI News Releases

DENTON, Texas* *-- FEMA Region 6 will partner with the state of Arkansas 
in a catastrophic earthquake exercise in May that will directly involve 
at least three other FEMA regions, several states and federal partners 
throughout the U.S.

Scheduled for May 16-19, National Level Exercise 2011 (NLE 2011) is 
designed to replicate a disastrous New Madrid Seismic event in Northeast 
Arkansas. The purpose of the exercise is to prepare and coordinate a 
multiple-jurisdictional integrated response to a national catastrophic 
event.

"NLE 2011 will focus on regional catastrophic response and recovery 
activities between federal, regional, state, tribal, local and private 
sector participants," said Region 6 Administrator Tony Russell. "Given 
recent and ongoing events in Japan, the decision months ago to focus on 
a catastrophic temblor was by chance, yet obviously appropriate for the 
U.S."

NLE 2011 is a White House-directed congressionally mandated exercise 
that includes the participation of all appropriate federal department 
and agency senior officials, their deputies and staff, and key 
operational elements.

For the latest NLE 11 news and developments, please call the FEMA Region 
6 News Desk at 940-898-5454 or visit www.ready.gov/nle2011 
<http://www.ready.gov/nle2011>.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure 
that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our 
capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, 
and mitigate all hazards.