Emergency response exercise to close Woodward, Q-Line near Detroit's stadiums

Detroit —Dozens of emergency response personnel descended on downtown Detroit Wednesday morning to test their response to a possible complex coordinated attack on the city's main sports venues in a full-scale exercise.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as well as city, county, state and federal law enforcement and private sector partners will all participate in the drill, which will temporarily shut down parts of Woodward Avenue and the Q-Line starting at 9 a.m.

The exercise will test the organization's responses to simulated incidents around Comerica Park, Ford Field, and Little Caesars Arena. Detroit's three professional athletic venues are located within a mile of each other and the drill will test the preparedness of on-scene security and protection, mass care services, situational assessment, public information and warning and operational coordination in the event of real-life incidents, the city said in a news release.

“In an emergency situation when lives are on the line, every second counts. Responders must assess the situation and take action at a moment’s notice. Full-scale exercises, like what we’re doing this week in Detroit, help them do just that by creating a safe, but realistic, environment to practice response plans and procedures,” Lisa Beury-Russo, Associate Director for CISA Exercises, said in the news release.

The exercise will test the ability of the stadiums, the Q-Line and emergency responders to protect people in the event of multiple emergencies.

Southbound Woodward Avenue will be closed from Sproat to Henry Street and the city asked residents to avoid the area around the stadiums for the duration of the exercise. Q-Line services will be limited from 9 a.m. to roughly 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The streetcar will run south to the Sproat station and north starting at the Adelaide station. Montcalm, Grand Circus Park, Campus Martius and Congress stops will all be closed during the exercise.

hmackay@detroitnews.com