Don't panic: Mock emergency exercise to be held in downtown Detroit Wednesday

DETROIT (FOX 2) - "Don't panic this is simply an exercise," said Cmdr. Tiffany Stewart, Detroit police.

Wednesday will be the culmination of four years in the making for a full-scale exercise, playing out Wednesday in downtown Detroit.

Specifics are skimpy – but it will involve some kind of mock physical attack within the stadium cluster downtown.

"This will help first responders test their readiness in a safe but realistic environment," said Lisa Beury-Russo, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Hundreds of first responders from police and fire will take part, at multiple mock incidents at all three stadiums and involve the QLine. 

The exercise will be led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as one of 100 similar simulations a year.

"Malicious actors target mass gatherings and public venues because of their ease of accessibility, crowd density, and limited ability to coordinate protective measures," Russo said.

Detroit Homeland Security and Emergency Management will be in the mix. They're tasked with protecting the city from everything from a tornado to a terrorist attack.

"It is important that we have an outside partner come in sometimes and look at what we do, and take what we do and make it even better," said Hilton Kincaid, deputy director.

This is only a drill it all starts Wednesday at 9 a.m. and will go until about 1 p.m. clustered in the downtown area around the stadiums.

"You probably will be seeing fire and EMS trucks and police cars, said Stewart. "I don't want anyone to think it's a real emergency."