Dirty bomb exercise, October 15-20

AFP (Yahoo! News):

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States will test this month its preparedness for a large scale terrorist attack with a dirty bomb, a Homeland Security Department official said Wednesday.

“TOPOFF 4” (Top Official 4), as the exercise is called, will be held between October 15-20, Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness Dennis Schrader told the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security.

The test will involve setting off fake “dirty bombs” — combining conventional explosives with radioactive material — in three locations: Oregon in the northwest, Arizona in the southwest and the US Pacific island territory of Guam.