Naval Base San Diego Completes Citadel Rumble 2012

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Justin L. Webb, Naval Base San Diego Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) completed three days of annual disaster preparedness drills during Citadel Rumble 2012 (CR-12) from Aug. 7-9.

CR-12 is a fully integrated response and recovery exercise designed to evaluate Navy shore-based commands and installation emergency preparedness in response to an all hazards scenario.

This year's training evolution was a collaboration across all NBSD departments. Department heads and other essential team members held planning meetings to ensure successful execution of the drills.

"The events were modeled after real world casualties," said NBSD training officer Dave Kenneweg. "In the event of a real-life scenario the base would get overwhelmed by not just displaced military, but also civilians. Our goal was to set up scenarios that would train our personnel how to effectively respond to casualties and to provide mass shelter for displaced individuals."

 Over the course of CR-12 there was a simulated 6.9 magnitude earthquake, a building collapse and riot which ultimately lead to six hypothetical human casualties including one fatality.

"The Emergency Management Team coordinated the initial response and recovery of multiple disasters and reported incidents across the base," said NBSD Emergency Operations Center (EOC) manager Manny Magos. "We coordinated relief, supplies, assistance and the flow of information from the incident through the EOC up to higher headquarters."

During the exercise, the AtHoc-Reverse 911 system was one of the primary means the EOC used to mass notify the population within the NBSD area of jurisdiction.

"Let's face it...if a real earthquake were to happen most folks would get that we just had an earthquake. Be that as it may, they may not know where to go for help, they may not know what to do in the event of an emergency, but if we were able to get an AtHoc alert to somebody who perhaps had a PDA or a phone that was able to receive an alert or a text message it would steer them in the direction of how to get help. Specifically, it would tell them where to reach out or who to call in the event they have some kind of damage to report, in need of medical attention or some kind of supplies or services," added Magos.

NBSD leadership feels the base personnel's performance during this exercise shows their commitment to help in times of need.

"I am so pleased by the combined effort of the NBSD staff. I am totally confident that if a natural disaster was to occur in the area, our personnel would be ready to meet the challenge head on," said NBSD Commanding Officer Capt. Winton Smith. "I also want to ensure that our Sailors, civilian employees, retirees and family members understand in the event of a tragedy we will open our gates to help in any way possible."

CR-12 was preceded by an Earthquake Preparedness Resource Fair Aug. 6, which was aimed to

help prepare military members and their families in the event of an earthquake. The fair, sponsored by Navy Region Southwest's Sustainable Solid Waste Program, featured 16 organizations with disaster preparedness experts.