Posted: Thursday, July 10, 2014 --- 9:43 p.m.

A week from today, more than 400 people will be responding to a planned fake bombing at Camp Randall Stadium. The event, "Operation Wisconsin Dawn," will be the largest and most sophisticated emergency response exercise in Wisconsin's history.

The goal is to look and feel like a real life bombing.

"Unfortunately, we're in the day and age where these types of things happen, thankfully something like this has never happened here and we hope it never happens but we need to be ready," said UW Police Spokesman Marc Lovicott.

The exercise will start with a planned "explosion" at the stadium at 7 a.m. Monroe Street from Randall to Regent Streets will be closed from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"This is a full scale exercise meaning it's real time... when that alleged fake bombing happens at 7 a.m., first responders will be responding as though it really did happen," Lovicott said.

UW and Meriter hospitals will be participating and "treating" dozens of victims covered in red paint, mimicking blood wounds.

"What's going to happen is people are going to self direct themselves... and they won't have time to be triaged, so we have to be prepared at a moment's notice for people to walk in our door and say there's something going on and there's lots of people coming," said Karen Munt, Emergency Preparedness and Safety Manager at Meriter Hospital.

The exercise is garnishing mixed reactions from those who live by the stadium, some wondering whether it goes too far.

"I think it's a little overkill... I wish they would have given us more than a week's notice," said UW student Joshua Rodriguez.

Another student also wished for more advance notice, but welcomes the idea.

"It does seem like a good idea to plan ahead and make sure you have a response if something were to happen," said UW student Eric Steffes.

Lovicott said he understands residents' concerns, but believes the benefits of the exercise outweigh the disruptions.

"We have people saying 'you're going to disrupt my morning, traffic is going to be bad,' and we understand those concerns and we're trying to be mindful of that, but bottom line, as law enforcement professionals and first responders, public safety is our number one priority," he said.