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Office of Public Affairs | |
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| Press Release |
Date: October 2, 2006 |
COAST GUARD TO TAKE PART IN TSUNAMI DRILL | |
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LA PUSH, Wash. - Coast Guard Station Quillayute River will take part in the Quileute tribe's tsunami disaster drill Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. The almost 450 residents of LaPush live with the threat of a tsunami on a daily basis as the coastal village is almost completely within a tsunami zone. Wednesday's drill will be a full-scale disaster response effort with a community-wide evacuation and mock triage station. In the event of a tsunami, Coast Guard personnel and assets would play a major role in rescue and recovery efforts. A group of 20 delegates from India comprised of government officials and academic professionals will observe the drill. The delegates are part of a program through the United States Agency for International Development, and are in their fourth year of developing a comprehensive incident command system for the Indian Ocean region. The delegates represent the areas of India hit hardest by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami with a total of 10,776 lives lost, 5,640 people still missing and another 112,558 displaced from their homes. In addition to the delegation from India, approximately 40 elected officials and emergency management professionals from the state, federal government, Clallam County and Port Angeles will observe the drill. Attendees include state Rep. Jim Buck, R-Joyce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Tsunami Program Manager David Green and all three Clallam County Commissioners - Mike Doherty, D-Port Angeles, Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, and Mike Chapman, R-Port Angeles. For additional information about the drill contact Vanessa Casavant at 360-374-6163. For information about the Coast Guard's involvement in the drill contact Chief Mark Baumgaertner at 360-374-6469. | |
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