Arizona Prepares To Help In Case Of California Quake

TUCSON, AZ – Earthquake in Arizona? Unlikely. In California, just to the west? Absolutely.

While Arizona doesn't have earthquakes, California averages about 10,000 each year. Because of this, the state is working to be ready if their neighbors get hit badly.

For the next four days, Arizona is holding a National Mass Care Exercise, a tabletop exercise to make sure that the state is ready just in case.

Officials estimate that Arizona could receive as many as 400,000 evacuees if southern California were to be hit with a large earthquake. (Sign up for Tucson Patch for real-time news alerts and free morning newsletters. Like us on Facebook. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app.)

Nichole Fortson, DEMA State Exercise Branch Manager, has worked for several months in collaboration with multiple agencies to coordinate this unique exercise program.

“We are working to bring the mass care world together with the all hazards world,” Fortson said.

“This is a great opportunity for all partners of the Whole Community to understand agency roles and responsibilities.”

The Arizona Department of Emergency Management says that participants will come from around the state and from agencies and organizations representing a broad range of fields including healthcare, transportation, aviation, energy, communications, banking, public utility and retail.

The exercise will take place at locations across the state where participants will have the opportunity to exercise their plans in full-scale by standing up sheltering operations, activating coordination centers and even practicing the transport of patients via Department of Defense aircraft to participating hospitals for care.

Photo via Arizona Department of Emergency Management.