Florida county conducts hurricane exercise

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 25 (UPI) -- With an active hurricane season predicted for 2011, a Florida county has conducted a day-long emergency simulation exercise, officials said.

Broward County agencies and community response workers participated in the drill at the Emergency Operations Center in Fort Lauderdale to manage scenarios from a fictional "Hurricane Griffin," the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Wednesday.

The scenario called for a direct hit on Broward County as a Category 4 hurricane, with simulated casualties, damage to buildings, extensive flooding and hazardous contamination in waterways.

The Broward simulation is part of a statewide exercise conducted during Hurricane Preparedness Week and is being coordinated by Florida emergency managers in Tallahassee.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast a busier than normal tropical season for 2011, predicting 12 to 18 named storms, including six to 10 hurricanes.

Hurricane season is June 1 through Nov. 30.