State Level Exercise

​2013
The Golden Guardian 2013 exercise series spanned 18 months and included 20 planning meetings and 11 separate exercises. The annual state-level exercise provided Cal OES, FEMA Region IX, federal and state agencies, operational areas, and other non-governmental stakeholders the opportunity to exercise and evaluate portions of the San Francisco Bay Area Earthquake Readiness Response: Concept of Operations Plan. The capstone Functional Exercise took a place on May 15, 2013 simulating the morning of the third day after a catastrophic bay area earthquake. Activities involved full Cal OES State Operations Center activation, operational area and state agency Emergency Operations Centers and Department Operations Center activations, deployment of a FEMA Region IX Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT), and integrated planning by State Emergency Functions and Federal Emergency Support Functions personnel.

GG13 Exercise Series Executive Brief.pdf

2012
The Golden Guardian 2012 Exercise Series was a discussion-based exercise series that involved participants from eight operational areas in the Southern Region, tribes, state and federal agencies, non-governmental organization, and private sector partners and allowed the State of California, FEMA Region IX, and operational areas an opportunity to evaluate the SouthernCalifornia Catastrophic Earthquake Readiness Response Plan that was developed and approved in 2008 as a result of Golden Guardian 2008.

Golden Guardian 2012 Exercise Series Executive Brief

​2011
The Golden Guardian 2011 Full Scale Exercise was based on a major California flood. The exercise involved the Inland Region, with participation from 18 Operational Areas, the Inland Region Emergency Operations Center, the State Operations Center, over 30 state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners. GG11 allowed participants to exercise preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities during a flooding event.

Golden Guardian 2011 After Action Report Executive Summary

​2010
Golden Guardian 2010 was a port terrorism exercise designed to evaluate California’s response to, and recovery from, near simultaneous terrorist attacks in multiples ports in California’s Bay Area. Golden Guardian 2010 was the largest port exercise in the nation and included 3000 participants, seven of California’s ports, 26 state and federal agencies, one CSU campus, and many private sector partners.

Golden Guardian 2010 After Action Report Executive Summary

2008
Golden Guardian 2008 was a 7.8 magnitude earthquake along a southern stretch of the San Andres Fault. At the local and regional level, first responders and emergency managers practiced their skills to rescue, triage, treat and transport injured, conduct assessments of infrastructure damages, and coordinate mutual aid and immediate response with federal installations in the region. At the state level, state leaders along with FEMA Region IX and the US Northern Command assets conducted emergency support function and Unified Coordination Group activities.

Golden Guardian 2008 After Action Report Executive Summary

​2007
Golden Guardian 2007 full-scale exercise assessed the State’s ability to respond to multiple, simultaneous terrorist attacks across the three California geographical regions. The largest statewide exercise conducted to date, GG07 involved more than 6,800 participants from across state, local, and federal agencies. The exercise scenario involved a terrorist improvised explosive device in Anaheim, the dispersal of Anthrax and an improvised explosive device in Stockton at the University of the Pacific, and a biological attack at the HP Pavilion arena in San Jose.

Golden Guardian 2007 After Action Report Executive Summary

​2006
Using catastrophic terrorist and natural disasters, Golden Guardian immersed federal, state, and local responders and emergency management officials in a three-day statewide full-scale exercise involving the three California geographic regions. The Coastal Region experienced a Magnitude 7.9 earthquake, modeled on the earthquake of 1906, striking the San Francisco Bay region. The Inland Region acted as a receiving area for persons evacuated from the earthquake zone and a variety of emergency managers from 20 state and 5 federal agencies integrated to manage the incidents from the State Emergency Operations Center.

Golden Guardian 2006 After Action Report Executive Summary

​2005
Golden Guardian 2005 (GG05) was designed to enhance interagency coordination and cooperation, provide personnel training, test response and recovery and mutual aid systems across California. GG05 Full Scale Exercise (FSE) involved over 3500 participants from more than 165 state, local, and federal agencies, and departments, far exceeding the participation in 2004. The goals were to assess the ability of all levels of California government to prevent the occurrence of, protect California citizens against, respond to, and recover from catastrophic natural disaster or terrorist events. Scenario events occurred in multiple venues within the State of California, focusing on the Sacramento Valley Region and the Bay Area. GG05 FSE conducted on November 15 and 16, 2005, opened with three improvised explosive devices (IED’s) exploding on three rail cars at the Union Pacific Rail Yard in Roseville, California. Several minutes later multiple small back packs detonated at an Art Fair in Jack London Square, Oakland, California. At the Tower Bridge, between West Sacramento and Sacramento, a gasoline tanker exploded and burned on the approach into the Capital. A multiple vehicle accident at the site trapped a large Liquid Propane Tanker Truck in the burn area. Eight California counties participated in the GG05.

Golden Guardian 2005 After Action Report Executive Summary

​2004
Golden Guardian 2004 (GG04) was conducted in November 2004 in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Ventura County, the Oakland International Airport, and the San Francisco International Airport. The Golden Guardian 2004 exercise revolved around a simulated dirty bomb attack at the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach, a train derailment and toxic spill in Ventura County and a hijacking scenario at Bay Area airports. GG04 took place while the nation was in an elevated “Orange Level” alert status and involved 450 participants, 6 counties, 17 state agencies and 14 federal agencies. Golden Guardian 2004 was part of a larger Department of Defense exercise, Determine Promise 2004 (DP04) conducted in Maryland, Virginia, the Gulf Coast, and California.