UIC to host disaster drill

Emergency response vehicles and personnel will be on campus May 19 for Operation Power Play, a statewide disaster preparedness drill.

Sponsoring agencies — including UIC, ComEd, Ameren Illinois, the DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Reserve — will work together to manage disasters more efficiently. The exercise will simulate a large storm damage scenario, where response teams would be pre-positioned to restore critical services. The event is scheduled to take place from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

People on campus should expect to see first responders, restoration teams, task forces, command posts, generators, trucks, an unmanned aerial system, a flying fixed-wing aircraft and other equipment near parking lot 1B, 1139 W. Harrison Street.

Two more exercises near UIC — close to the Chicago River and inside a ComEd substation — will simulate other catastrophic events.

The drill will test areas such as safety and health, emergency operations center management, critical logistics and resource management, interoperable communications and restoration of lifelines.

After the exercises, participants will identify areas for improvement.