All Hazards Plan Validation Table Top Exercise - PUERTO RICO EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI HAZARD After Action Report
Information
Date
April 2012
Summary
The Puerto Rico Earthquake and Tsunami Plan Validation Tabletop Exercise was the culmination of many months of planning for the Commonwealth and Federal Partners in FEMA Region II. It was part of the Catastrophic Planning Tabletop (TTX) Series consisting of FEMA Regional-level exercises to validate catastrophic planning efforts. The plan provides a tactical framework for decision making relating to a catastrophic earthquake occurring on-shore in Puerto Rico and a catastrophic earthquake off-shore resulting in a tsunami on Puerto Rico. The scope of the annex and TTX related to the first 72 hours, defining the resources to support 14 pre-defined response core capabilities necessary to stabilize response operations, while providing for inputs into long-term recovery decision making, given the geographic separation from the continental US. In addition, FEMA and its Federal Partners' capabilities were tested, to provide support to the government of Puerto Rico in order to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs in a post-catastrophic incident environment. The scenario for the TTX was a major earthquake impacting Puerto Rico and causing catastrophic and major damage throughout the central and eastern parts of the island. Thousands of homes and commercial buildings were destroyed or were severely impacted, resulting in over 450,000 people that needed sheltering and feeding. The San Juan harbor was filled with damaged cruise ships, pleasure boats, fishing boats, containers and other debris. The San Juan airport was severely damaged and planes were unable to land/take off with navigational aids down.