On March 19, 2010 at 9:00 AM, the Golden Guardian/Port Protector exercise commenced on a dock at Shoreline Park in the City of Long Beach, California. The scenario for the event included “simulated terrorists” shooting multiple victims, causing a multi-casualty Incident (MCI), an explosive devise detonating with the release of a hazardous substance, and the commandeering of docked vessel with 20 passengers aboard.
An aggressive response was undertaken by the participating agencies, which included the Long Beach Fire and Police Departments; members from the Los Angeles Port Police and Fire Department; representatives from the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and other partnering agencies.
Recognizing the significance of this incident, first-arriving units requested the Specialized Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team from the LBPD and the Tactical Medics from the LBFD. These two units, working in a coordinated effort with other resources, were able to enter the impacted area safely and remove the injured patients to a safe location for treatment and transport. Additional operations included a Hazardous Material Team entry with “full body” encapsulation on supplied air; a “Shoring Operation” by the Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) team; and rescue boat tactics and rescue by the Long Beach Marine Safety Division. Multiple helicopters were incorporated into the exercise.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger first implemented this statewide exercise series in 2004 to be conducted on an annual basis to coordinate prevention, preparation, response, and recovery involving federal, state, and local agencies to prepare for the possibility of manmade or natural significant occurrence. Golden Guardian is currently the largest statewide exercise program of its kind in the country and serves a great example of a proactive approach for preparing for “any and all” types of potential incidents that could impact the state of California.
For photos of the exercise, CLICK HERE.
