Flotilla Team Practices for Wildfire Evacuation
This past sunny Saturday, April 25, about 30 volunteers gathered outside a home in Blakely Harbor. They all wore life preservers, many wore sunhats and warm jackets, a few people brought backpacks, one person wheeled up a suitcase, and still another carried a small dog in a backpack.
The crowd was calm and chatting quietly as they waited for the Bainbridge Prepares’ Flotilla Team to give them instructions. They were gathered to participate in a wildfire evacuation exercise. The Flotilla Team was testing its ability to help get people off the island in the event of a large wildfire that blocks the highway and limits vehicle egress off Bainbridge.
Designated “Shore Marshall Evac” Rob Avery greeted the volunteers and gave a brief description of the plan. They would file in groups down to the shore, walk down the pier, descend the ramp to the dock, and board their assigned vessel.
Six vessels participated in the exercise, each wearing the Flotilla’s Bravo India flag (the initials for Bainbridge Island). They included catamarans, yachts, and motorized sailboats. Each vessel included its captain and two crew.
Once people had boarded a vessel, it took off, headed for Eagle Harbor, where in an actual incident people could be transferred to the ferry or other larger vessels to complete evacuation. But for the exercise, everyone stayed put on board for the return trip to Blakely Harbor.
Bainbridge Prepares Logistics Team Lead Neal McConnell was on site with one of the BP drones so he could monitor and film the exercise from the air.
Some of the volunteers who showed up for the ride were members of BP teams. But some were people new to BP, eager to help, and looking to get more involved with the organization. Want to volunteer?
