Drill Tests ‘Escape the Cape’ as Mock Hurricane Jessica Barrels North

CREST HAVEN — For two days, about 210 officials from all levels of government hovered over maps and discussed scenarios of a northbound hurricane, learning what each would do to evacuate Cape May County residents in peak tourist season.
The storm was dubbed Jessica, and as Category 1, she packed enough potential to severely damage property on the Jersey peninsula and threaten lives.
Adding to the session was National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Eberwine, who sounded the dire warning of impending doom.
The Cape May County Office of Emergency Management’s “Escape the Cape 2011” Emergency Preparedness Exercise took place Wed., July 27 and Thur., July 28 at the Cape May County Technical High.
Purpose of the exercise is to evaluate interagency and intergovernmental coordination at the municipal, county, state, and federal levels using the National Incident Management System (NIMS) in preparation for, response to and recovery from a hurricane.
More than 210 people participated at the July 27 exercise including Charles McKenna, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, Major Dennis McNulty, assistant deputy state director Emergency Management. Lisa Webber, N.J. Department of Transportation, Freeholder Ralph E. Sheets Jr. , Frank Mc Call, county Emergency Management director and County Prosecutor Robert Taylor.
The following objectives were developed for the exercise:
• Assess adequacy of the Cape May County hurricane planning process to identify the processes and assets that must be coordinated (using NIMS and the Incident Command System [ICS]) to support evacuation during the Prelandfall Period of a hurricane, excluding contraflow operations.
• Assess adequacy of the Cape May County hurricane planning
process to provide affected populations, including Speciall and Functional Needs populations, within the South Region with shelter and other related services as needed during the Prelandfall and Postlandfall Periods of a hurricane.
• Assess adequacy of the county hurricane planning process to provide Emergency Public Information and Warning as needed during the Prelandfall and Postlandfall Periods of a hurricane.
• Assess adequacy of county hurricane planning
process to identify the processes and assets that must be coordinated (using NIMS and the ICS) to support reentry during the Postlandfall Period of a hurricane.