Ferry Emergency Drill This Week On San Francisco Bay

ALAMEDA, CA — A drill to test response to emergencies involving commuter ferries and large passenger vessels is being held this week in San Francisco Bay.

The training, involving more than a dozen agencies, will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday in an area south of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and just north and east of Treasure Island.

Parts of the exercise may be visible from the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge, and adjacent areas in Marin, San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties, officials said.

The public might see emergency response vessels in the exercise area, and possibly white smoke coming from the scene, according to the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District.

Any smoke or emergency vessels seen on the bay are taking part in the drill and onlookers should remember it's a drill and not a real emergency, district officials said.

The training is being coordinated by Golden Gate Ferry, in conjunction with the United States Coast Guard-Sector San Francisco and several Bay Area maritime and public safety agencies.

The exercise will test the tactical and emergency response to security-related events involving commuter ferries and large passenger vessels that operate on the San Francisco Bay.

The exercise provides real-world simulations for incident command and control, on-water mass victim rescue, hazard identification, site security and crowd control, and interoperable communications.

The drill will take place on passenger ferries provided by Angel Island Ferry, Golden Gate Ferry, and the Water Emergency Transportation Authority.

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