Bay Area agencies to hold mass rescue exercise off Bodega Bay

Training Center Petaluma is the Coast Guard's largest West Coast Training Center. - U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Training Center Petaluma is the Coast Guard’s largest West Coast Training Center. – U.S. Coast Guard photo.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Bay Area Federal, State and local agencies alongside industry partner Holland America Group will be holding 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.

Approximately 200 personnel from multiple agencies will be participating in the exercise, which will consist of evacuating passengers off the Army Corps of Engineering vessel A B Dillard playing the part of a Holland America cruise ship and triaging the passengers in real time.

The exercise scenario consists of a cruise ship explosion and fire that renders it temporarily without power or propulsion. The vessel requests airborne evacuation of a large number of passengers that need urgent medical care.

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.

Participating federal agencies 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
  • U.S. Naval Air Station Lemoore

Participating state agencies include:

  • California Office of Emergency Services
  • California Emergency Management Services Authority
  • California Air National Guard 129th Rescue Wing
  • California Region 2 Disaster Medical Health Coordinators and Specialists

Participating local agencies include:

  • Sonoma County
  • Marin County
  • Coastal Valleys Emergency Medical Services
  • San Mateo County

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