The City of Martinez is taking proactive steps to enhance community safety by organizing its inaugural fire evacuation drill. Scheduled for June 22, 2024, from 9:00am to 11:00am, this exercise will simulate the evacuation and response to a wildfire emergency. This is the first event of its kind held by the City, and the only emergency response simulation currently scheduled for this year in Contra Costa County.
The day will prioritize resident education on topics including safe evacuation procedures, staying informed during an emergency, and preparing for various emergency scenarios. All City residents are invited to an Education Expo at the evacuation rally point, Ignacio Plaza, and are encouraged to learn more about evacuation and emergency preparedness. Multiple outside agencies, including the Red Cross, ConFire, and Genasys, will be providing educational demonstrations. Other community partners, including Dutch Bros, are also supporting the Expo.
The evacuation scenario will focus on two streets in the city. The drill will take place in the “MAR-E001” neighborhood, specifically evacuating Carquinez Way and a section of Green Street. This neighborhood was chosen due to its actual wildfire risk; the practicality of rehearsing with residents who are at higher risk for wildfire evacuation; the road conditions in the zone; and, the ability to limit the number of residents affected while still allowing for an effective drill.
The drill will consist of door-to-door evacuation of the targeted streets, along with live messaging and interagency support. Residents of the surrounding streets and area are invited to practice self-evacuation methods along with the official drilled streets. All involvement in the drill is voluntary and residents of the neighborhood may participate to the level they desire, including non-participation. Drill details and instructions will be given to residences in the target neighborhood leading up to the event.
During the simulation, the rest of the City can expect to see emergency vehicles and signage on Berrellesa Street and Alhambra Avenue at the cross streets of Green Street and Susana Street. There will be police officers, police assistants, and CERT volunteers directing traffic at these cross streets, also; expect slight traffic delays as participants walk to the evacuation rally point of Ignacio Plaza (in front of MPD and City Hall). Live mock messaging may be broadcast, and will be clearly marked as part of the simulation. There will also be tents and multiple agencies represented in the area as they support the evacuation and provide education demonstrations.
The City as a whole benefits from this drill, extending beyond the target neighborhood. It serves as an instructive example for emergency response across the entire City and offers an educational opportunity through the Education Expo for all residents. Additionally, the exercise allows Martinez’s first responders to gain practical insights into evacuation challenges specific to our hilly terrain and practice multi-agency coordination during an emergency scenario.
The investment of time, staff, and resources to this simulation reflects the City’s commitment to community safety and preparedness. We encourage all residents to participate in the day’s activities so that we may all be safer together.
For more information, including the day’s expected schedule, maps of the evacuation neighborhood, and information on the Education Expo, visit the City of Martinez webpage on the evacuation drill, www.cityofmartinez.org/june22.
8 comments
But it sounded like such a good idea to the ‘committee” . . . . . . .
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Saturday morning is one of the days you sleep in.
“The drill will consist of door-to-door evacuation…”
If someone starts pounding on my door on a Saturday morning and it is not an actual emergency they’re going to experience a monumental amount of RUDE.
Must be getting ready for WWIII. Of course it is the county seat so that’s why it being held in Martinez. I’ll avoid downtown that Saturday and it won’t effect anything this far south.
Dang! Somebody’s nephew just made a boatload of money planning this crap. Who the heck wants to be ‘fake evacuated’ on a Saturday morning? I say start with Greasy Gavin’s house, his family and of course mistress and then the Martinez
City Council. The idiot who planned this thing, well his family too…mom, dad, brothers, sisters etc.
More waste!
The Paradise Fire killed 85 people in 2018. Better advance preparation for such an event would likely have significantly reduced the death toll. I’ve been thinking for some time that the northwest corner of Martinez is quite vulnerable to a wildfire. It may not be possible to save all of the homes, but participation in an evacuation drill is likely to show residents how to at least save their families and themselves from a catastrophic wildfire.
Town of Paradise was located uphill from fire origin point, strong winds, fuel load and humidity.
For every 10 degree increase in slope fire doubles it’s speed. Spent mid 1970s up in that area which has some steep slopes and canyons. Camp Fire was fast moving, it consumed 10,000 acres in first 90 minutes.
Paradise had limited egress routes that became cut off by fire.
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Caribou-Palermo high voltage transmission line was originally built in 1919.
Very possibly best story with pictures.
‘…PG&E knew old power line parts had ‘severe wear’ months before deadly Camp Fire”
https://tinyurl.com/ypk8jxbv
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My personal opinion, given wear evident in pictures, there should be people doing life in prison, to serve as deterrence to rolling the dice.
There should be a way to opt out your home.
Maybe a sign on the front door, along the lines of
_ _ _ _ _ OFF
Joe
Gee, I hope that after the evacuation drill, when people come back home they don’t find homeless people squatting in their house who won’t let them back in. Our current judges our app to side with the intruders.
Will there be free donuts or some sort of reward for being a victim of the practice evacuation? My observation of evacuations is that they are rarely calm and orderly. Nobody knows anything meaning the rumor mill goes into overdrive.
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