A brief closure at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel this weekend.
The tunnel will be closed on Sunday, March 22 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. so local partners including Windsor Fire and Rescue, Essex-Windsor EMS, Windsor Police and the Canadian Border Services Agency, and Detroit partners such as Detroit Police, Detroit Fire, Homeland Security, and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel can conduct an emergency response exercise.
This exercise is conducted yearly at the tunnel in order to practice crucial emergency response procedures.
In the unlikely event that an emergency occurs, both sides of the border are prepared to handle the situation safely and efficiently.
Tal Czudner, CEO of the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Corporation, says it's a team exercise.
"It's a great opportunity to get all the three and four-letter organizations working together to do some really cool exercises on both sides of the tunnel. And just in case something happens - we're ready."
He says it's about safety, teamwork, and communication.
"Just coming up and trying to think of all the different, crazy scenarios that happen. And realistically the folks at Windsor Fire, EMS, and Windsor Police on this side do all the heavy work. We just try to offer a nice vehicle for them to do some neat stuff, and throw in a couple of different curveballs to see how they handle it."
Czudner says those wanting to cross should sleep in a bit before making their way to Detroit.
"It'll start at 6 in the morning, and we really should get it done prior to 10 a.m., but just to ensure we have lots of time to do some extra exercises, and do a follow up on it, we do say we're closed until 10 a.m."
The tunnel is only closed twice a year, once for the Detroit Free Press Marathon and the other for emergency exercises.
During the closure, the Ambassador Bridge will be the only way into and from the United States.
The tunnel will reopen to normal operations at 10 a.m. on Sunday.