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NBSD Conducts Accountability Exercise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060720-21
Release Date: 7/20/2006 10:24:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Mark G. Logico, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) conducted a 100 percent personnel accountability exercise July 19 for all DoD military and civilian personnel and their families in the San Diego area.

The drill, ordered by Adm. Mike Mullen, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), is the first major exercise to test the effectiveness of NBSD’s responsibilities and accountability procedures.

Mission Gorge Recreational Center and Naval Medical Center San Diego also participated in the exercise.

“It’s important to have full account of everyone in the Navy family and to raise the awareness of why we need this,” said NBSD's acting Executive Officer, Cmdr. Marko Medved. “We don’t have a certain way to communicate to everyone when a disaster situation like Hurricane Katrina would occur. People are still just beginning to understand what to do on emergency management. Communication is the hardest part in all of this.”

The drill consisted of all tenant commands under the three installations reporting to the emergency operations center at NBSD. They were required to account for the whole Navy family, which includes all active-duty members and active-duty reservist personnel and their family members. It also includes civilians employed by the Navy and their families.

“It is important to define who is part of the Navy family, because when a disaster occurs, we need to know who will be receiving entitlements from the Navy,” said Chief Damage Controlman (SW) Christopher Springer, NBSD’s emergency management officer.

Before the July 19 drill, Springer and his team assembled all the pertinent information on disaster preparedness. The information, which includes evacuation procedures and safe haven locations, such as red-cross facilities, were distributed to all 93 tenant commands.

“Knowledge is the key to being prepared,” said Springer.

He also emphasized the importance of communication.

“It may seem easy to pick up the phone and muster to your respective commands, but once mass casualty occurs, communication becomes a problem,” said Springer.

“Already this year, we have had significant wildfires and accidents that dramatically show a need for knowing where our personnel are located," said Rear Adm. Leendert R. Hering Sr., commander of Navy Region Southwest. "Together, we can comply with the CNO’s vision and ensure all of our personnel are accounted for, should a disaster occur.”

Ensign Kimberley Caudle, NBSD’s assistant public works officer, who participated in the drill, said people should be prepared in the event of a disaster, and the exercise was a learning experience for future exercises.

For more detailed information on family emergency planning, contact your local emergency management office.