Over 175 participants from 32 County Departments, the American Red Cross, and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) participated in a two-part exercise, a functional exercise and a tabletop exercise, which featured the activation of a Shelter Operations Compound (SHOC) on Thursday, June 6, 2019. The exercise was coordinated by Mass Care Planners from the Office of Emergency Services and was conducted at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino.
The exercise scenario was based on a mountain region wildfire that forced the evacuation of whole communities, with an estimated 65,000 residents displaced. Sheltering operations were set up in real-time, as County Departments and agencies provided a variety of client services to volunteer “shelter residents” fleeing the wildfire.
The exercise was conducted to test the activation of the County’s SHOC Plan, an all-inclusive and innovative approach to Mass Care. A SHOC provides a one-stop shop for access to a Local Assistance Center (LAC), a co-located animal shelter, reunification and communication centers in addition to basic shelter services and access to advanced medical and mental health services. The exercise also tested the county’s donation management system.
“When the call comes to evacuate, the County of San Bernardino is ready, willing and able to assist you with your evacuation needs,” stated Office of Emergency Services Manager Michael Antonucci. “We continually test our operation plans to ensure we are ready and available when needed.”
The SHOC “concept” was created in 2003, with its first deployment during the 2016 wildfire. After considerable refinement, coordination and training, this programmatic approach to mass care and sheltering is being held up as a model for multi-jurisdictional, multi-discipline mega-sheltering. Over 300 county employees are trained to support the SHOC. San Bernardino County can set-up three SHOCs simultaneously within two hours. Each shelter can accommodate 3,500-5,000 people for as long as necessary for residents to return to their homes safely.
Are you prepared? Have you signed up for the Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS)? Learn more at www.sbcfire.org.