On March 19, 2022 a Tsunami Evacuation Drill was held in Manilla. The drill was intended to teach the community about near source tsunami procedures and for first responders to test multi agency communications and evacuation procedures used during a distant source tsunami.
A total of 66 volunteers and SMEs participated in the drill. According to surveys taken at Tsunami Evacuation Points, there were approximately 34 community participants.
The drill began around 0930 and residents were asked to make their way to higher ground in the dunes on the west side of the highway when they head the sirens as part of a practice evacuation for a local quake with prolonged, intense shaking. Under that scenario, time is of the essence, with the potential for destructive surges to breach beaches in minutes.
The county's Office of Emergency Services also tested the Zonehaven AWARE system, a new mapping tool for first responders that categorizes Humboldt County neighborhoods into specific zones to determine evacuations areas in the event of an emergency.
Humboldt AuxComm provided hand held radio transceivers to participants to help coordinate their efforts during the drill.
Participating agencies conducted a hot-wash after the drill, and the after action report is now available:
For more information about the hot wash/after action report, contact:
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services
707-268-2500
