Mass Rescue Exercise Set For Tuesday

PETALUMA, CA — Bay Area Federal, State and local agencies will hold a multi-agency mass rescue operational exercise off the Sonoma County Coast in the vicinity of Bodega Bay with a trauma/triage area at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma, Tuesday, April 25, U.S. Coast Guard District 11 announced in a news release.

The exercise, held alongside industry partner Holland America Group, will consist of roughly 200 personnel from multiple agencies, the Coast Guard said.

The exercise will consist of a cruise ship explosion and fire that renders it temporarily without power or propulsion, the Coast Guard explained. The vessel requests airborne evacuation of a large number of passengers that need urgent medical care.

The first responders taking part in the exercise will evacuate passengers off the Army Corps of Engineering vessel A B Dillard playing the part of a Holland America cruise ship and triaging the passengers will be triaged in real time as well..

"The objectives are to test existing relevant mass rescue operations; exercise multiple aircraft operating concurrently; exercise the 129th Rescue Wing C-130 as an on-scene coordinator; exercise state resource coordination; exercise maritime MCI integration Plan; deploy Cal Medical Assist Team; coordinate mutual assistance between state and local agencies," The Coast Guard said.

Federal agencies participating include U.S. Coast Guard District 11, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco, U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers vessel AB Dillard and Naval Air Station Lemoore.

Participating state agencies include the California Office of Emergency Services, California Emergency Management Services Authority, California Air National Guard 129th Rescue Wing and California Region 2 Disaster Medical Health Coordinators and Specialists.

Local agencies participating include Sonoma County, Marin County, Coastal Valleys Emergency Medical Services and San Mateo County.