Navy base to be part of anti-terror exercise

Street traffic may increase and Alamitos Bay may be closed to boats

The Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station will take part in the largest Navy security exercise of the year from Tuesday, Feb. 22 to Friday, Feb. 25.  Anaheim Bay may be partially or completely closed to civilian boat traffic during this time.

The anti-terror exercise the U.S. Navy calls “Solid Curtain 2011” will be conducted on naval bases and installations throughout the continental United States, Hawaii and Guam.

Measures will be taken to avoid disruptions to normal operations, but there may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around the weapons station or delays in base access.

Area residents may also see increased security activity associated with the exercise, and the station’s “Giant Voice” mass notification loudspeaker system may be used.

The event is not in response to any specific threat but is a regularly-scheduled exercise, developed to enhance the training and readiness of Navy security personnel to respond to threats to installations and units.  For more information about Solid Curtain 2011, contact the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach Public Affairs Office at (562) 626-7215.

For the latest information on current access restrictions to the base, including Anaheim Bay, the 24-hour command status line can be reached at (562) 626-6000.  Live updates will also be posted on the station’s Facebook page (search under “Naval Weapons Station”).