Exercise to Test Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities including Interjurisdictional Communication during Major Hurricane on Eastern Shore           
          
(April 30, 2008) – In conjunction with a National Level Exercise (NLE 2-08) sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), along with several local jurisdictions, will next week participate in a hurricane evacuation exercise on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The exercise, which will occur May 5 and 6, will examine SHA’s ability to coordinate and execute traffic evacuation plans for Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore counties including Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset and Dorchester.          
          
As part of this exercise, SHA will deploy approximately 60 vehicles and emergency response personnel to designated critical intersections on the Eastern Shore on Tuesday morning, May 6. No lane closures or traffic impacts are expected.           
          
“With Maryland’s Eastern Shore at risk for a hurricane every year, it is important to be ready,” said SHA Administrator Neil J. Pedersen. “Exercises such as these help us to keep up on the latest information and technology vital to protecting the public and aid us in evaluating our communications and operations tactics in the event of an evacuation on the Eastern Shore.”          
          
Motorists should expect to see SHA response vehicles at several major intersections along US 50, US 13, US 113, MD 90, Coastal Highway and other State numbered routes on the Eastern Shore. SHA will also simulate the coordination of emergency operations from an Incident Command Post established in cooperation with the Town of Ocean City at the Public Safety Building on Coastal Highway at 65th St.          
          
The exercise is expected to examine emergency responders’ ability to coordinate and conduct multi-agency communications necessary to facilitate the implementation and execution of emergency traffic evacuation plans.           
          
Other agencies participating in the exercise include local jurisdiction emergency management offices, the Maryland Department of Transportation, the Maryland State Police, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and representatives from the Delaware & Virginia Departments of Transportation.          
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*** Media interested in attending - please arrive at the Ocean City Public Safety Building on Coastal Highway at 65th Street on Tuesday, May 6 between 9 and 11 a.m. ***