Cincinnati Reds giving free game tickets to volunteer fans. What?

On Saturday, September 30, the Cincinnati Reds are hosting a mock disaster exercise conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and SOSINK at the Great American Ballpark. According to the Reds’ 9/7/06 press release, “the exercise will focus on the evacuation of fans from the ball park on key local emergency responder coordination, critical decision making, and integration of Federal and State assets to save lives and protect the public following a terrorist attack.”

Each volunteer participant will get a voucher for two tickets for a game next season. There’s no pre-registration, families are invited, and the parking is free. Arrival time is between 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. and the exercise will be over by 10:00 a.m. Could it be any easier?

For all the details, here’s the link to the press release:
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060907&content_id=1650976&vkey=pr_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin

9/16 UPDATE: Health Commissioner Donna Laake and one of our health department nurses will be spending Friday, the 29th, setting up the Alternative Care Center near the ballpark. Donna describes it as a series of tents that provides hospital beds for 210 people equipped with lighting, HVAC, etc. This is where the “wounded” volunteer fans will be “treated” during the mock disaster exercise the following day at the ballpark. The exercise is of such importance that Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff is supposed to be there to evaluate it.