Drilling for public safety
"This is an exercise."
That's how City staff members from across all departments began and ended written, radio and telephone communications during training drills Thursday at the Del Mar Civic Center Town Hall.
During the four-hour Emergency Operations Center Training Exercise, participants practiced reacting to situations as if they were part of a real emergency.
They drilled communications and coordination that would be brought to bear in the event of a wildfire.
In the mock scenario, a fire is reported at Black Mountain Open Space Park on a hot, dry afternoon. Westerly Santa Ana winds are blowing up to 70 miles per hour. As evacuations are ordered, wind-driven embers spark fires near Del Mar.
The training exercise was designed to strengthen employees' decision-making and ability to process incoming information, request action and assistance and deliver information to the public.