Flames and Smoke Spell Disaster

Valley Springs, CA — If you hear sirens and emergency crews rushing around in Valley Springs and Jenny Lind today do not be alarmed, it is a drill.

More than 100 volunteers and local emergency responders will team up for the third annual Calaveras Emergency Exercise.  The goal is to test the preparedness and response of county, regional and state agencies in the event a real crisis hits.

Sgt. Rachelle Whiting of the Calaveras Office of Emergency Services cautions that the event is a significant exercise and the communities in the area should expect to see emergency responders looking and acting as if this exercise were a true disaster.

The fake scenario involves a break in the main PG&E natural gas line that sparks a vegetation fire that threatens nearby homes and ranches.  The flames will take a similar path as the 2004 Pattison Complex fire.

In addition,   there will be mock Red Cross evacuation centers set up in Calaveras and San Joaquin County

Cal Fire, Calaveras Consolidated Fire Protection District and the Calaveras County Office of Emergency Services have all coordinated the drill.