The Community Warning System is partnering with Moraga Orinda Fire District (MOFD), Orinda Police Department, the Moraga Police Department and Lamorinda CERT to conduct an evacuation exercise in North Orinda on Saturday, January 26th from 7:00-8:00.
While the lessons learned will be relevant to the entire MOFD jurisdiction, the exercise is limited to residents of Sleepy Hollow, Dalewood (Orinda Downs), and Upper Minor Road. The exercise will include testing the Community Warning System (CWS) by sending notifications to those who have signed up to participate.
The CWS will be sending alerts to registered phone numbers, text messages, and emails only. Tools that will NOT be activated include most landline phones, social media alerts, Wireless Emergency Alerts (like Amber Alerts), the Emergency Alert System, and NWS weather radios. The CWS has access to all of these tools and can activate any/all of them during an actual emergency, but due to geographic restraints and the confines of this drill, we will only activate tools from our opt in system.
CWS phone calls come from 000-000-0000. At this point, we are unable to use a text caller ID for our sent messages. Text messages will come from a 5 digits short code – possible 284-62, although these codes frequently change.
The early-morning message will direct North-Orinda residents to follow normal traffic patterns and obey traffic laws while driving from their homes to the intersection of Miner Road and Lombardy Lane. From Lombardy/ Miner intersection, law enforcement and CERT members will control traffic and direct the use of contra-flow traffic (both lanes will be westbound only) along Miner Road to Camino Pablo. Once at Camino Pablo normal traffic flow will be used to the HWY 24 onramps. To facilitate the exercise, Miner Road will be closed to Eastbound traffic from 0700-0800.
You must sign up for the drill in order to participate AND register with the Community Warning System.
To register to participate in the exercise CLICK HERE, then register with the Community Warning System.
To register with the Community Warning System CLICK HERE
For any questions or for help with registration, please contact us at cws-staff.so.cccounty.us or (925) 655-0111.
It’s not too late to sign up for this exercise! Its success depends on our being able to test the evacuation routes with homeowner’s vehicles. THE EXERCISE WILL ONLY TAKE AN HOUR OF YOUR TIME ON SATURDAY MORNING 1/26/19. The very latest you can register for the exercise is this Thursday at 5:00 PM.
