Ardent Sentry

Press Release

Indianapolis, IN –J. Eric Dietz, Executive Director for Indiana Department of Homeland Security, along with City of Indianapolis/Marion County Emergency Management and Indiana National Guard today announced the three day state and local full scale exercise know as “Hoosier Sentry”. Hoosier Sentry will execute and integrate with “Vigilant Guard”, which is a full scale Indiana National Guard exercise for which both will be in conjunction with the center piece of a National Level Exercise called “Ardent Sentry”.
The exercise scenario is a 10-kiloton nuclear device detonation that will drive the exercise participants and facilitate the observation and evaluation of specific goals and objectives identified by local, state and federal agencies.
Indiana Department of Homeland Security personnel will demonstrate communications and resource management support capabilities to first responders in accordance to the National Response Plan and the Indiana Strategy for Homeland Security during an incident of National Significance utilizing the State Emergency Operations Center and Mobile Command Center. “An exercise of this magnitude verifies the ability of the state to manage and protect critical resources and infrastructure as well as validate the state’s ability to support local responders during an incident of national significance,” said J Eric Dietz, Executive Director of Indiana Homeland Security.
Participants from various state and local agencies will work together in every aspect of response to a major terrorist attack. “This is probably the largest exercise ever held in Indianapolis, and public safety leaders will be looking to see how well we do,” said John Ball, Director of Marion County’s Emergency Management Agency.
Elements from the nuclear detonation incident will result in mass casualties, infrastructure damage, evacuation/displace persons, contamination, mass fatalities, search and rescue, animal issues, and hospital surge.
Participants are Indiana Department of Homeland Security; City of Indianapolis/Marion County; Homeland Security District 7; Indiana State Dept of Health; Indiana State Police; Indiana Dept of Transportation; Indiana Dept of Environmental Management; Board of Animal Health; Indiana Dept of Natural Resources; Family and Social Services; Integrated Public Communications Services; Indiana National Guard; Responders from Hamilton, Johnson, Hancock, Hendricks, Boone, and Shelby Counties; and Indiana Task Force
Source: Indiana Department of Homeland Security

Hoosier Sentry is a three day state and local full scale exercise coordinated by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) that will be the centerpiece of Ardent Sentry, a national level exercise. Hoosier Sentry will execute and integrate with Vigilant Guard, the full scale Indiana National Guard exercise developed to demonstrate Guard support to the Governor of Indiana, IDHS and other state and local agencies and personnel. IDHS is coordinating with state and local responders to participate in exercise events for three days conducting continuous operations during this period.

A simulated 10-kiloton nuclear device detonation will drive the exercise participants and facilitate the observation and evaluation of specific goals and objectives identified by local, state and federal agencies.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security identified 15 national planning scenarios to base preparedness activities upon and a 10-kiloton nuclear device detonation is the first of these planning scenarios. Through the process of exercise training, we accomplish activities that allow for the evaluation of our current capabilities, identify needed capabilities and develop improvement plans based on our evaluations. This process helps maintain overall state preparedness.