Politics & Government

Navy Drills Start Monday at Closed Mental Health Center

That loud bang you hear Monday and the swell of activity you see around the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center is more federal government exercises. Find out when the drills will be running and for how long.

By Joe Vince (Editor)  

Here's a reminder on the special activities happening in Tinley Park when you start hearing firecracker-like explosions in the middle of the afternoon Monday:

Another round of federal training drills—this time, involving the U.S. Navy—will begin this week on the grounds of the closed Tinley Park Mental Health Center

Find out what's happening in Mokenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The exercises will be this week and next week and will only run two days during each week, according to Pat Carr, director of the village's Emergency Management Agency. The drills will be run during the following times:

  • July 15 and 17: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • July 23 and 24: 6 to 11 p.m.

This time around the village has set up "quiet hours" between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., meaning no helicopter or explosives training will occur during days exercises are scheduled, Carr said. The training again will be closed to the public, he added.

Find out what's happening in Mokenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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In April, the Defense Department used the former mental health facility to conduct nighttime urban warfare exercises. Noise from military helicopters flying overhead, as well as explosions from "building breaching" drills frightened and angered some Tinley Park residents, who said they were happening too late at night.

No helicopter exercises will be run during the daytime exercises in the first week, according to a village press release. Helicopter drills will be part of the nighttime training in the second week, the release stated.

Emergency Management Agency Director Pat Carr has set up a blog on Tinley Park Patch that keeps residents updated about helicopter operations from the village's helipad. Check it out for updates about the training.

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