Connecticut Venue

The state of Connecticut was one of the two state venues selected to participate in TOPOFF 3. During the week of April 4-8, 2005, Connecticut tested the ability of its state and local government to plan for and respond to a chemical attack.

Specifically, the exercise tested the state's ability to coordinate inter-agency preparedness and response plans to a terrorist-generated chemical incident, provide decontamination of large numbers of victims, test the surge capacity of the hospital system state wide, conduct criminal and environmental investigations, and exercise the states newly formed Urban Search and Rescue Team. Connecticut used this full-scale exercise to examine the strengths and weaknesses of states' preparedness and response plans.

The United States Department of Homeland Security and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) had responsibility for oversight of the TOPOFF exercise in the State of Connecticut. Effective, January 1, 2005, this new Connecticut agency brought together the Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security, the Military Department and the Office of Emergency Management. The University of Connecticut's College of Continuing Studies partnered with of the State of Connecticut and DHS in the implementation and evaluation of the exercise, assuming the lead coordination and administrative role within the state.

The following State, local, and private agencies and organizations participated in the planning and implementation of TOPOFF;