Citywide Earthquake Drill Set for Saturday Morning

From an Oakland Fire Department press release:

The City of Oakland Fire Department, Emergency Management Services Division will conduct its eighth annual CORE Citywide Emergency Response Exercise on Saturday, April 27.

CORE stands for Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies. The CORE Citywide Exercise is an opportunity for residents of the Oakland community to test our disaster preparedness.

On Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon a simulated 6.6 earthquake on the Hayward fault will provide over 500 individuals representing over 50 neighborhoods throughout Oakland with an opportunity to practice their skills in responding to a major earthquake or other significant disaster. Other participants will include local ham radio operators, City of Oakland staff and firefighters.

“This event is an opportunity for Oakland residents to gather with neighbors and practice their skills in responding to a major disaster,” said Renee Domingo, director of Emergency Management Services Division.

“The goal of this year’s exercise is for participating groups to practice size-up, damage assessment and radio communications. CORE groups will activate their neighborhood command posts and train to those objectives in order to improve their ability to function in an emergency.”

This year the Fire Department is encouraging individuals, businesses, and organizations to take the time to practice their skills or begin setting up an emergency plan.

“How many people know where their utility shut-off valves are? Do you know how and when you should turn off your gas meter? For our business communities this is a great opportunity to exercise your evacuation plan and talk with employees about business preparedness,” said Domingo.

“The steps you take now to prepare can make a significant difference in how well you, your neighborhood and the City of Oakland respond to and recover from a major disaster.”

About CORE

CORE is a free emergency and disaster prevention, preparedness and response training program for individuals, neighborhood groups and community-based organizations in Oakland.

CORE teaches self-reliance skills and helps neighborhoods establish response teams to take care of the neighborhood until professional emergency personnel arrive.

A major disaster will overwhelm first responders, leaving many community members on their own for the first 72 hours or longer after the emergency.

Since its inception in 1990, the CORE program has provided free, community-based training to more than 20,000 residents.

Oakland residents who are interested in signing up for free CORE training or who would like help forming CORE groups in their own neighborhoods can contact CORE at (510) 238-6351 or core@oaklandnet.com.

Exercise plans, exercise guides, individual participant activity lists and other educational and information resources are available for download from the CORE website at www.oaklandcore.org.

Do you have a CORE group in your neighborhood? Let us know in the comments section below.

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