Scotts Bluff County Emergency Management Coordinator Jerry Bretthauer says Wednesday's emergency response test involving the state of Nebraska and local jurisdictions is designed to work out any shortcomings in the response to terrorists' use of hazardous materials. The scenario Wednesday involved a break-in by a terrorist group into an ethanol refining plant and the stealing of semis from the property. One of the trucks ends up abandoned and leaking on railroad tracks near the city of Scottsbluff lagoon, requiring evacuation of nearby homes.

Bretthauer says Wednesday is the time for elected officials, hazardous waste teams, law enforcement and EOC staff to work within the incident management system and solve any problems.

Bretthaur says the exercise includes coordinating the local response with officials in Grand Island and Lincoln who are also experiencing scenarios where the same terrorist network is involved. Bretthaur says Paraclete, a new communications tool that will allow the various local agencies to talk to each other is not yet fully operational, with additional towers and "black boxes" needed to be installed before it is totally on line.