Fire Department describes weeklong 'Vigilant Guardian' radiological exercise and mutual-aid testing

Assistant Deputy Chief Shane Francisco, Homeland Security Division, told the Fire Commission that the Vigilant Guardian exercise was a large-scale, weeklong event that combined interdiction training and consequence management for a simulated radiological incident. "The Vigilant Guardian exercise was a very large scale, exercise involving a radiological, incident in San Francisco and in the Bay Area," Francisco said, describing both the "left of boom" interdiction and the "right of boom" mass-casualty and decontamination response.

Francisco explained the department’s role focused on consequence management: establishing hot zones, triage, decontamination and tracking responder radiation dose limits. The scenario moved parts of the exercise to Treasure Island’s training facilities where mutual-aid partners — including Alameda County hazmat units, California Task Forces and the National Guard’s medical components — practiced integrated urban search-and-rescue, hazmat entry and large-scale medical reception operations.

Commissioners praised the realism and multiagency participation. Chief Joanne Hayes White and Deputy Chief Ramona Williams acknowledged the planning effort and suggested some elements of the exercise could be repeated or folded into annual training. Commissioners asked for after-action summaries and recommended recording the exercise and hosting a review panel for training and academy use.

The department said it would provide follow-up reporting and noted the exercise highlighted both equipment and personnel needs as well as local-to-federal coordination challenges.