In California, Emergencies Are One Thing We Do Well

摘要

We have many opportunities to practice emergency response in the Golden State. As a result, in California, emergencies are something we do very well. Everyone in the United States understands that California is earthquake country, but the state is also prone to wildfires, flooding, mudslides, severe heat, high winds, freezing, and drought. It seems the Golden State has it all. In 2008, California's government agencies, water and wastewater utilities, and 5 million residents participated in the largest emergency response exercise ever undertaken in US history, called Shakeout and Golden Guardian 2008. The scenario was written by Lucy Jones and others from the US Geological Survey Multi-Hazards Demonstration Group, with input from all affected jurisdictions, including drinking water and wastewater agencies.