Fleet Week celebrations of U.S. Navy vessel arrivals in the San Francisco Bay also included a more somber earthquake response exercise.
The exercise was coordinated by the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (SFDEM), Port of San Francisco, San Francisco Fleet Week Center, the Coast Guard, Navy, Marines, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state and local emergency services organizations.
Emergency services officials told AJOT that in the event of a 7.9 Richter scale earthquake roads, bridges and rail lines might be damaged and out of commission and so much of the aid needed for the Bay Area will have to come by sea on ships providing equipment, food, water and medicine. In some cases, one official said, ships could take up to 10 days to arrive.
The October 7th earthquake response exercise is a culmination of previous exercises and focused on “Disaster Debris Management and Emergency Route Reopening.”
Victor Wai Ho Lim, External Affairs Officer, SFDEM told AJOT that a high-end projection “is that a 7.9 earthquake could generate 10 million tons of debris, the equivalent of 280 football fields. “
For this purpose, U.S. military ships and equipment will be rushed to the Bay Area and deployed to open up emergency routes for people and vehicles.
Lim noted that a leading role will be taken by California Department of Transportation as well as city and county public works employees who will be tasked to support debris clearance and open up roads and transit lines quickly.
Lim said the exercise was intended to develop “muscle memory in preparation for an earthquake or tsunami” by training civilian and military partners to work together and know what to do when disaster strikes.
Lim advised that families can help themselves in an emergency by storing at least 3 days’ supply of food, water, clothing and medicines in advance.
The exercise took place at the Port of San Francisco’s James Herman Cruise Ship Terminal.
