JOINT NEWS RELEASE

From the California Office of Emergency Services’ California Specialized Training Institute and the

San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services

Contact: Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: Gregory Renick, (562) 577-8503

San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services: Ron Alsop, (805) 781-5011

Emergency Responder Exercise to be conducted November 9-11, 2005

San Luis Obispo, CA, November 4, 2005 - A number of emergency responders will train together in the San Luis Obispo area in scenarios involving simulated releases of chemical and radiological agents in an emergency exercise titled "NOVEX 2005" from November 9-11, 2005

NOVEX 2005 is a combined training exercise for local, state and federal response agencies, including the National Guard. It features three realistic scenarios involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD) agents in actual working environments in the San Luis Obispo County area.

While the primary activities related to the exercise will be centered on and around Camp San Luis, all hospitals in the county as well as many other agencies will be participating. As a result, emergency vehicles and equipment – including helicopters – may be visible throughout the county during this exercise. Emergency responders will be wearing protective clothing, for training use only.

There will be no release of any dangerous chemicals or other materials during the exercise, thus the public is in no danger.

This will be an extensive exercise involving many federal, state, and local agencies. Examples of some of the many participating agencies include the California Office of Emergency Services, including their California Specialized Training Institute, National Guard 95^th Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Civil Support Team (CST) out of Hayward, CA, the 93th WMD CST from Hawaii, California Men’s Colony Fire Department, California Department of Health Services, California State Parks, Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), CDF/San Luis Obispo County Fire Department, SLO County Hazardous Materials Response Team, SLO County Office of Emergency Services, SLO County Public Health Department, SLO County Mental Health, SLO County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Ventura County Hazardous Materials Response Team, Santa Barbara County Hazardous Materials Response Team, Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, American Red Cross , San Luis Ambulance Service, Cambria Health Care Agency, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff, Los Angeles County Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, Morro Bay Fire Department, San Luis Obispo City Fire Department, Atascadero Fire Department, Paso Robles Fire Department, Arroyo Grande Fire Department, San Miguel Fire Department and many other agencies, along with the support of several private contractors.

SUMMARY: The NOVEX 2005 is a training event involving local, state and federal agencies in a free-play and facilitated environment. Its purpose is to prepare agencies to work together to best serve and protect California residents should such an incident occur. It is designed to simulate, as realistically as possible, the actual response mechanisms and agencies that would be engaged. It is intended to enhance the response, coordination, communications and technical expertise of local, state and federal agencies. It is a realistic, highly advanced and technically sophisticated training event.