FEMA: Capstone 2014 National Exercise Begins

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and its partners begin the Capstone 2014 national exercise to test, assess and improve the nation’s preparedness and resilience from catastrophic disasters.

The Capstone 2014 exercise examines the core capabilities described in the National Preparedness Goal. This multi-event design recognizes the need for comprehensive all-hazards planning and the complexity to ensure exercise objectives are met.  Capstone 2014 is a complex emergency preparedness exercise comprised of five distinct, but linked, component events. This year’s exercise components include Alaska Shield, Ardent Sentry 14, Nuclear Weapon Accident/Incident Exercise, Eagle Horizon, and Silver Phoenix. 

“In order to be ready for disasters, as a nation, we have to practice how we would respond,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “In Capstone 2014, FEMA joins state, tribal and local government, along with our partners in the non-profit, faith-based and private sectors to test and assess our joint preparedness for a disaster. Preparedness is a team effort, and every family and business can take steps to be ready for disasters by learning your risks, making a plan, and having a kit. Visit www.ready.gov to learn easy steps on how to prepare and take action.”

By congressional mandate, these exercises—formerly known as National Level Exercises and the Top Officials exercises— represent the culmination of a two-year cycle and are designed to educate and prepare participants for potential catastrophic events. These exercises are facilitated by FEMA’s National Exercise Division.

The exercise is national in scope with the goal of fostering coordination and building relationships prior to an incident occurring. Each exercise cycle varies from drills to functional assessments, and it challenges participants from all levels of government, non-governmental and private sector organizations and other organizations representing the whole community.

Various aspects of local, state, federal, non-governmental, private sector and other whole community organizations will be tested by the exercise, including the emergency response to mass casualties from the earthquake, resulting infrastructure, communication and coordination challenges and the tangential element of hazardous materials spills.

Among the exercises and participants are the following:

  • Alaska Shield: FEMA and state emergency management agencies, including Alaska, will commemorate the anniversary of the 1964 9.2 magnitude Great Alaskan Earthquake, with an exercise that tests response and mass casualty care.
  • Ardent Sentry 14:  In conjunction with Alaska Shield and other exercises during the period, the Department of Defense will exercise its Defense Support to Civilian Authorities’ mission.
  • Nuclear Weapon Accident/Incident Exercise: The Department of Energy will participate in the exercise with a scenario that tests response and recovery following an accident during secure transport convoy of nuclear weapons.
  • Eagle Horizon 2014: During this exercise, many federal departments and agencies will activate their continuity of operations and reconstitution planning to test their continuity plans and ensure that primary mission essential functions can take place from alternate facilities.
  • Silver Phoenix 2014: This exercise explores challenges associated with examining, prioritizing, and conducting recovery activities involving multiple geographically-dispersed and competing events using the National Disaster Recovery Framework.

For more information on these exercises, visit www.fema.gov/national-level-exercise. Learn more about earthquake preparedness at Ready.gov/earthquakes. 

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Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications. 

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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FEMA: Capstone 2014 National Exercise Begins

How is responding to a disaster different in the State of Alaska?

A large earthquake in Alaska, especially in winter, would require a different type of response than most areas of the nation. FEMA Region X is participating in a series of exercises that will test the ability of the federal government to respond to major disasters in Alaska.

The largest of the exercises is Alaska Shield 2014. This full-scale emergency response exercise, occurring in late March of 2014 that will test the plans and actions of the State of Alaska, FEMA, territorial governments, private sector companies, international partners, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions and its partners.

“We do not know when the next earthquake or tsunami will take place, but it will depend on our collective and individual preparedness to reduce our vulnerability.” said FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy. “It is imperative that we work together in advance of an event to make sure that all of our systems are working together smoothly and seamlessly”.

This exercise will coincide with 50th anniversary commemoration events of the 1964 Great Alaskan Earthquake. The earthquake scenario is designed to be of sufficient complexity to disrupt the States essential services, making it difficult for communities to obtain outside assistance but allow life safety activities to resume.

A Full-Scale Exercise tests plans and actions during the initial response phase of a disaster. It also tests the ability to stabilize the situation and meet immediate essential needs during a major disruptive event, as well as ensure recovery efforts can begin.

For more information about the exercise follow #AKShield, @AlaskaDHSEM and @FEMARegion10 on Twitter.

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How is responding to a disaster different in the State of Alaska?

FEMA and Partners Exercising Earthquake Scenarios

BOTHELL, Wash. – Why is there so much activity right now at the FEMA Region 10 office in Bothell?

Partners from the American Red Cross to the Bonneville Power Administration to the U.S. Army, and many others, are joining FEMA for what is known as a table-top exercise, planning for a larger full-scale exercise in March.

A table-top is an exercise in which field and logistics movements are “simulated” – not actually performed – while planning and decision-making proceed as if they are. A similar scenario will play out in late March when many of the same partners participate in a full-scale exercise with real field and logistical activity.

The table-top brings more than 100 people to the Region 10 Response Coordination Center in Bothell through Thursday.

The scenario involves a magnitude 9.2 earthquake and resulting tsunami. Such a quake would be the second strongest in known history, and the largest in known U.S. history. In fact, that largest-ever U.S. quake inspired the scenario; the upcoming full-scale “Alaska Shield” exercise coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964.

The scenario projects the loss of hundreds of lives. Also, it has thousands displaced in an Alaska winter with no power or heat and possibly tens of thousands of buildings damaged. Other problems would include loss of communications and how to moving relief commodities to survivors despite destroyed roads and bridges.

Region 10 Administrator Ken Murphy said of the table-top, “This exercise is important for all of us to work with all of our partners leading up to Alaska Shield, and to make sure that all of our systems are working together smoothly and seamlessly.”

FEMA regularly tests procedures and practices in this way, together with local, state, tribes, and other federal agencies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow the Alaska Shield Exercise at #Akshield and FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion10, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

News Desk: 425-487-4610

 

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FEMA and Partners Exercising Earthquake Scenarios