Conducting a Mock Drill in Indiana: State and University Partnership Gauges Transportation Security Training Needs

This article briefly describes the Awareness and Alertness Training program, conducted by the PRISM Center and the Joint Transportation Research Program at Purdue University. The program was started to help the Indiana Department of Transportation (DOT) handle threats to infrastructure, including terrorist attacks. The program has analyzed Indiana DOT training and has itemized the components that need to be designed, developed, and enhanced. In collaboration with Indiana DOT employees, the research team delivered a full-day training workshop in July 2004 to more than 75 participants. Workshop participants recommended that Indiana DOT should prepare better for statewide mock drills in terrorism response and that interagency mock drills would be beneficial. This article describes the mock drill that was developed and conducted.