Westport Marina to host emergency preparedness event; boat launch will close temporarily

Public welcome Aug. 1, boat launch will be closed from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

By Dan Hammock The Daily World • July 25, 2017 7:00 pm
An amphibious assault vehicle departs the well deck aboard the Navy dock landing ship USS Rushmore during an exercise. This ship will deploy another vessel with equipment and vehicles as part of the emergency preparedness exercise coming to the Westport boat launch Aug. 1. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam)
An amphibious assault vehicle departs the well deck aboard the Navy dock landing ship USS Rushmore during an exercise. This ship will deploy another vessel with equipment and vehicles as part of the emergency preparedness exercise coming to the Westport boat launch Aug. 1. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam)

The Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard will conduct an emergency preparedness training event in the Westport Marina Tuesday, Aug. 1.

The training event will showcase the military’s ability to deliver supplies in the event of a catastrophic Cascadia earthquake and tsunami event. The exercise will include a landing craft carrying various military vehicles arriving at the marina boat launch, said Westport Marina Business Manager Molly Bold. The vehicles will offload and be joined by helicopters at the nearby Coast Guard Station. Both the military vehicles and a static helicopter display will be open to the public during an open house at the Coast Guard station.

“We are excited to host this important training event at the Westport Marina and hope members of the community will be able to take advantage of the public open house,” said Bold.

The boat launch at the south end of the marina will be closed from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

“Preparedness training events such as this are critical to our region and we want to make sure marina users know about the brief launch closure during this important event. The boat launch will be open until 6 a.m. for those hoping to get out, and reopen at 11 a.m. after the training event.”

According to Grays Harbor Emergency Management Deputy Director Charles Wallace, the only closure related to the training exercise will be the area immediately around the boat launch. No other street or area closures have been announced.

“The USS Rushmore will patrol off our coast and launch a landing craft, holding various military vehicles. The landing craft will arrive at the boat launch next to the Coast Guard Station at 1600 N. Nyhus St. and offload military vehicles for public display,” said Wallace. “Numerous helicopters will be landing and flying around the area to rendezvous with the USS Rushmore offshore.”

The USS Rushmore is home ported in San Diego.

During the ship’s first six month deployment its crew spearheaded the largest military humanitarian operation in history, Operation Restore Hope, which provided food and medical relief to the starving people of Somalia.

While en route to the Persian Gulf in 2004, the ship was redirected to lead recovery efforts following the massive tsunami that claimed 100,000 lives in southeast Asia. The ship launched both of its Air Cushioned Landing Craft — basically large air boats — to deliver tons of food and water to the victims of the disaster.