Drill to simulate Folsom Dam failure
By Sam Stanton - sstanton@sacbee.com
Published 9:59 am PDT Thursday, September 11, 2008
One of the Sacramento area's most popular recreation areas will be closed to vehicles for much of Saturday while authorities conduct a disaster drill simulating a failure of the Folsom Dam.
The William B. Pond Recreation Area in Carmichael will be site of the drill Saturday morning while up to 300 civilian volunteers and emergency personnel work from 8 a.m. until early afternoon, Sacramento sheriff's Lt. Bill Myers said.
The county park typically is busy on weekends with bicyclists, pedestrians, joggers, anglers and others using the area, and people still will be able to walk into the area. Cyclists also will be able to use the bicycle trail that runs through it, county Ranger Supervisor Kathleen Utley said.
The drill for the Sacramento Civilian Emergency Response Team is designed to prepare volunteers to help in the event of a catastrophe.
In this instance, officials will be simulating a failure at the Folsom Dam, either through an attack of some sort or a breach, and will be training people in search and rescue, sandbagging and other techniques.
Officials also will be doing some training for the drill at nearby Del Dayo Elementary School. Fliers and emails have been sent to alert neighborhood residents and cycling and running groups, Myers and Utley said.
Residents can expect a large number of emergency vehicles in the vicinity and might hear loudspeakers.
