Adem Jones || Issue 12 || February 4, 2025
Federal agencies ran a large-scale nuclear incident training exercise last week across Schenectady, Albany, and Saratoga counties. The drill, which started January 26 and ran through January 31, involved the FBI, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies working alongside local law enforcement. According to officials and a statement from the FBI directly, this was just a routine exercise, not a response to any actual threat. The goal was to sharpen emergency response tactics in case of a real nuclear event, whether in the U.S. or abroad. The training included deploying the National Technical Nuclear Forensics Ground Collection Task Force, a team responsible for collecting and analyzing nuclear debris samples in nuclear crises. Officials told those in the area to expect to see more military personnel, aircraft, and even people in protective gear, though they stressed that there’s no reason for alarm, even if it might have looked intense. “The public does not need to be alarmed by training-related activity,” the FBI said in a statement. The exercise was focused on key locations like Albany Airport, Stratton Air National Guard Base, and parts of northern Saratoga County. Local law enforcement, including New York State Police and sheriff’s offices from Albany, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties, were also involved. The training wasn’t open to the public or media due to its sensitive nature, but officials said that it’s a necessary part of national security preparedness. These response drills happen every two years, with previous exercises held in different regions of the country. Planned for this particular event started last spring well before recent global tensions surrounding nuclear threats. Officials insist the timing is purely coincidental. While it’s not every day you see a full-scale nuclear indecent drill happening nearby, officials hope the public understands the importance of staying prepared. If nothing else, it’s a reminder that agencies at all levels are training for worst-case scenarios, so the rest of us don’t have to.







