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Nevada Test Site |
 Terrorism is a serious and deadly problem that threatens
the vital interests of the United States and abroad. Training our nation’s
weapons of mass destruction responders in a realistic weapons of mass
destruction operations environment is critical to prepare responders both
physically and psychologically for such an incident. The U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, Office for Domestic Preparedness, in collaboration with
the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration
established the National Center for Exercise Excellence at the Nevada Test
Site.
Since the 1950's, the Nevada Test Site has served the country as an extraordinary national resource. It is approximately 1,375 square miles and one of the largest restricted access areas in the United States. Its vast size, remote location, varied terrain, dry climate, protected airspace, and comprehensive infrastructure of specialized personnel, roads, power, and buildings make it an excellent site for undertaking complex experimental programs, fielding specialized technologies and conducting operational field exercises. The remote site is surrounded by thousands of additional acres of land withdrawn from the public domain, creating an unpopulated area comprising some 6,500 square miles. With its long-standing partnerships with the defense weapons National Laboratories and the U.S. Department of Defense, the Nevada Test Site has been an active participant in maintaining our nation’s security. Our technical heritage began in the Atomic Age with atmospheric tests, continuing with underground testing and weapons systems experiments. Our skills and technologies for fielding complex experiments continue to transition to a primary mission of science-based stewardship of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile. These same skills have also served as the basis to solve other national security challenges to combat terrorism. The Combating Terrorism Program is a direct outgrowth of this heritage. Our technical strengths and scientific infrastructure make the Nevada Test Site an important part of a global network of multi-user training, test, evaluation, and demonstration locations used in the war against terrorism. With these resources the Combating Terrorism Program offers the following services to our emergency responders at the federal, state and local levels:
Last Updated
June 03, 2004 |