D.C. Officials Prepare For Major Hurricane

By Janie Amaya

The D.C. Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMA) sponsored a city-wide full-scale natural disaster exercise at RFK Stadium on Wednesday.

The purpose of the simulation was to play out emergency plans in the event of a category two hurricane.

The event tested the District’s roles, responsibilities, authorities, and capabilities for an all-hazards event. The simulation was staged at the recovery phase of “Hurricane Zoe,” as they called it, two days after it had presumably hit the area.

Several federal and non-governmental organizations such as the Department of Health, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Department of Public Works, The Red Cross, among others, took part in the event playing out their own internal plans.

HSEMA Director Millicent West said the simulation will help the HSEMA prepare for unforeseen challenges in a real-case scenario.

“If there are gaps [in the plans] we’re gonna make the investment to patch what needs to be patched. So if there are issues with radios, we’ll make sure that we’re putting the investments in place- money, time, training- to ensure that the patches are in place so there aren’t breaks in communication,” West said.

Participants from across the District took time off of their daily schedules to role play in the simulation. Station observers looked for inconsistency in procedures. The observations will eventually comprise a report suggesting improvements.

West also said the simulation helps in creating back-up plans when challenges are faced. Alex Narr with the Office of National Capitol Region Coordination at FEMA, said simulation exercise have revealed several gaps in the plans and are needed for future preparedness.

“Emergency planning and response and recovery is on-going process and your always doing corrective action planning and corrective action work,” Narr said.

Based on the gaps found in today’s exercise, HSEMA will conduct follow-up exercises this March and next September.

WMLA Radio- September 28, 2011

105.9 FM

http://www.wmal.com/article.asp?id=2297282&SPID=39884