Northern Edge
Northern Edge 2002
Although Northern Edge 2002, which occurred in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Valdez, was scheduled prior to September 11, there was speculation that real-world defense obligations would cancel the annual exercise altogether. But a significant number of units were able to take part and only a portion of planned events had to be scaled back. After the terrorist attacks, leaders from both the military and the city of Valdez began to share information, enhancing their mutual capabilities and defense operations development. They agreed Northern Edge could provide the training venue to practice operations in a Military Assistance to Civil Authority environment.
Over 1000 military personnel spent two weeks in Alaska as part of Northern Edge 2002, Alaska's premiere joint training exercise. It incorporated security and defense operations in the Valdez area, where efforts between civil and military authorities had been on-going since October 2001. The Valdez Police Department, Fire Department, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, community hospital, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company representatives, Alaska State Troopers, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, all participated in the planning and training of security and defense operations. This year marks the first time civil authorities have participated in a Northern Edge exercise, as planners, controllers and participants.
During Northern Edge 2002 city and military officials conducted realistic threat scenarios wherein some or all the agencies could review their response plans. The final event was a mass casualty scenario where all major emergency response organizations in the Valdez area responded.
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