Passers-by in the area of Wilshire and La Cienega boulevards Tuesday will see a lot of fire trucks, ambulances, police and other first-responders and even some smoke -- but they need not worry.
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All that hullabaloo will be part of a simulated emergency drill being run by Metro's Emergency Management Department at the not-yet-open-for-business Wilshire/La Cienega subway station on the D Line extension.
The drill, being run in conjunction with the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police and fire departments, will enable first-responders to train in the new station and be better prepared in case there's ever a real emergency, Metro officials said.
The first segment of the D (Purple) Line extension, which includes the Wilshire/La Cienega station, is expected to open early next year.
Tuesday's drill is actually one of two being conducted at the station this week -- the other is scheduled for Thursday, and both will run from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to Metro.
"As part of the drills, expect to see emergency response vehicles (fire trucks, patrols, ambulances), equipment, controlled smoke and a large presence of first responders," Metro said in a statement Monday.
The drills will not be open to the public.
Throughout the year, Metro's Emergency Management Department holds full-scale exercises across the system.
The Purple (D Line) Extension Transit Project began construction in 2019 and will eventually add seven new subway stations, connecting downtown L.A. to the Westside.
The Wilshire/La Cienega station -- along with the Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Brea stations -- form Section 1 of the extension.
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