Crime & Safety

What Happens After a 7.9 Earthquake? San Ramon Emergency Responders Practice Today

From San Ramon Valley Fire

Local and regional emergency managers and disaster service workers will join together in San Ramon to exercise the valley’s emergency operations plan on Wednesday. 

This drill is part of the state wide Golden Guardian program. This drill was first implemented by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004 and has become the most comprehensive state-level exercise series program in the country.

The goal of Golden Guardian is to exercise and assess emergency operations plans, policies, and procedures for all-hazards/catastrophic incidents at the local, regional, and state levels.

“What is different about this drill is the time frame we are practicing”, said Ray Riordan, Emergency Manager for the City of San Ramon. “Our exercise begins 48 hours after the initial 7.9 earthquake, allowing participants to practice recovery tactics, shelter operations, evacuations due to secondary emergencies, volunteer management and the coordination of local government resources.”

The City of San Ramon will open its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located at the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District offices and run through several scenarios including dealing with secondary emergencies such as fires, debris management, care and shelter needs and natural gas events. The participants will also be dealing with transportation issues, rescue efforts and command and control exchange.  

The drill will also extend out of the EOC with a practical evacuation of a residential care facility and with CERT members visiting care homes throughout the community.

“Those with access and functional needs, such as the elderly, are one of our most vulnerable populations in an emergency,” said Debbie Vanek, Code Compliance Officer for the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District and chair of the Residential Care Facility Working Group. “It is important that we work with our home based care givers to teach them how to evacuate their residents safely and quickly should they be in imminent danger.”

Participating agencies include, San Ramon Valley Fire Protections District, the City of San Ramon, San Ramon Regional Medical Center, Contra Costa County Office of Emergency Services and the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA).


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