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GOLDEN GUARDIAN 2008 FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE
Golden Guardian Logo       ShakeOut Logo
San Bernardino County Exercises 2008
Emergency management preparedness involves continued planning, capability development, training, exercising, evaluation, and corrective action. On November 13-18, 2008, the San Bernardino County Fire Department Office of Emergency Services (County OES), in conjunction with the California Office of Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (State OES) conducted a functional exercise which was part of the overall larger statewide Golden Guardian 2008 Exercise Program.
Initial Planning Conference
Golden Guardian Program
Fire Chief Pat Dennen, Denise Benson, and Dr. Lucy Jones The Golden Guardian Program is in its fifth year of conducting regional exercises throughout California to test the readiness capabilities of first responders to multi-hazard events. In November 2008, San Bernardino County OES participated in the Golden Guardian exercise involving the scenario of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake along the southern section of the San Andreas fault. County OES was instrumental in the overall coordination of the Southern Region portion of the exercise planning and development. The exercise encouraged professional relationships with surrounding local jurisdictions and agencies in addition to state and federal partners. County OES also participated with multiple local, County, State and Federal partners in the 2006 Golden Guardian exercise involving a mock terrorist attack at the Glen Helen Pavilion in Devore.
Exercise Planning Process
In preparation for the San Bernardino County Golden Guardian 2008 Exercise, a comprehensive series of developmental meetings, planning conferences, seminars and workshops was conducted. Each meeting, conference, and seminar increased in complexity and content, building to the exercise in November. The San Bernardino County Operational Area (OA) Grants and Exercise Committee (GECO) comprised of exercise planners, subject matter experts and local representatives from Fire, Law, EMS, Public Health, and State and County OES participated in the planning process. The GECO members and partnering agencies have been meeting regularly since early 2007 to develop and coordinate a viable and successful exercise for San Bernardino County. Ken Hudnut at the San Andreas Fault

Objectives

Eight objectives of the exercise were used to evaluate and enhance response and recovery from catastrophic events.
 
Emergency Operations Center Management
Activate the Operational Area (OA) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) coordinating with Jurisdictional EOCs and Department Operations Centers (DOCs) utilizing established protocols in response to a catastrophic earthquake incident.
 
Communications
Test the Operational Area (OA) response communications interoperability plans and protocols throughout San Bernardino County.
 
Emergency Public Information and Warning
The Operational Area (OA) Public Information Officers (PIOs) will utilize developed and updated protocols to disseminate accurate alerts and emergency information to the citizens of San Bernardino County and the media in response to a catastrophic earthquake incident.
 
Mass Care (Sheltering, Feeding and Related Services)
Assess Disaster Needs and Establish Mass Care Response for San Bernardino County disaster victims as a result of a catastrophic earthquake.
 
Medical Surge
Assess the capacity of the healthcare system to provide triage and on going medical care to the citizens of San Bernardino County in response to a catastrophic earthquake incident.
 
Public Safety and Security Response
Law Enforcement and Fire Jurisdictions will identify available personnel and prioritize the need for public safety and security response to a catastrophic earthquake incident.
 
Economic and Community Recovery
Assess recovery needs and implement short and long-term recovery processes throughout San Bernardino County as a result of a catastrophic earthquake incident.
 
Restoration of Lifelines
Assess integrity and coordinate the restoration of critical lifelines and infrastructure within San Bernardino County in response to a catastrophic earthquake incident.
 
Exercise Executive Briefing
Three conferences for the Golden Guardian 2008 Exercise were held prior to the exercise. Afterwards, an After Action Conference is conducted to obtain feedback and to present City and County policy makers with lessons learned, capability limitations, and suggested improvement plans for the San Bernardino County Operational Area. After the Golden Guardian 2006  and 2008 Exercises, as after any disaster, jurisdictions implement an improvement plan through ongoing training, continued coordination, and the development of new plans and procedures for their area. OES Division Manager Denise Benson
Emergency Management Preparedness
Dr. Lucy Jones at the Initial Planning Conference County OES takes a proactive lead role with emergency management preparedness by conducting discussion, tabletop, functional and full-scale exercises in San Bernardino County. Exercises such as Golden Guardian serve as an awareness tool for County Administrators of the first responders' capabilities to deter, prevent, respond and recover from potential terrorist attacks or large-scale natural disasters. This type of exercise reinforces positive agency collaboration while allowing participants an opportunity to gain confidence in their abilities through structured response.
Participation in the Golden Guardian 2008 Functional Exercise
The Golden Guardian 2008 Exercise was a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional exercise that includes first responders, role players, VIPs and observers, controllers, evaluators and exercise staff.
Participants for the exercise included:
SB County Departments
  • Aging and Adult Services
  • Agricultural Weights and Measures
  • Airports
  • Architecture and Engineering
  • Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
  • Assessor’s Office
  • Auditor/Controller-Recorder
  • Behavioral Health, Dept. of
  • Child Support Services
  • Children’s Services
  • Clerk of the Board
  • Community Development and Housing
  • County Administrative Office
  • County Counsel
  • District Attorney
  • Economic Development
  • Economic Development Assistance
  • Facilities Management
  • Fire Department
  • Fleet Management
  • Human Resources
  • Information Services
  • Land Use Services
  • Library
  • Museum
  • Preschool Services
  • Probation
  • Public Defender
  • Public Health
  • Public Works
  • Purchasing
  • Real Estate Services
  • Redevelopment Agency
  • Regional Parks
  • Registrar of Voters
  • Risk Management
  • Sheriff’s
  • Special Districts
  • Superintendent of Schools
  • Transitional Assistance
  • Treasurer-Tax Collector
  • Veterans Affairs
  • Workforce Development
SB County City/Towns  
  • Adelanto
  • Apple Valley
  • Barstow
  • Big Bear Lake
  • Chino
  • Chino Hills
  • Colton
  • Fontana
  • Grand Terrace
  • Hesperia
  • Highland
  • Loma Linda
  • Montclair
  • Needles
  • Ontario
  • Rancho Cucamonga
  • Redlands
  • Rialto
  • San Bernardino
  • Twenty-nine Palms
  • Upland
  • Victorville
  • Yucaipa
  • Yucca Valley
Sign in at the Mid Planning Conference
Federal Government
  • FEMA/Department of Homeland Security & Office of Emergency Services – OHS/OES
  • Department of Defense (DOD),
  • U.S. Geological Survey
  • USFS
  State Agencies
The Mid Planning Conference
  • State OHS/OES
  • Cal Trans
  • OMNI Trans
  • California Department of Public Health
  • California Highway Patrol
  • CalFire
  • State Department of Parks and Recreation
  • GETS/WPS
 
Others
  • San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
  • Inland Counties Emergency Management Agency (ICEMA)
  • Orange Show Fairgrounds
  • All San Bernardino County Hospitals
Transportation
  • Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad
Water Districts
  • East Valley Water District
  • ERNIE
Utilities
  • Kinder-Morgan
  • SoCal Gas
  • Southern California Edison
Brad Mitzelfelt
Private Industry
  • Private Industry Partners (Wal-Mart & Home Depot)
  • Hospitals
  • Community Action Partnership
  • Verizon
  • Auto Club Speedway
Volunteer Organizations
  • American Red Cross
  • CERT Volunteers
  • Community Action Partnership


For photos of the Golden Guardian 2006 Exercise click here.


For additional photos of the Golden Guardian 2008 Exercise and the Great Southern California ShakeOut, click here.