Dozens of law enforcement sprang into action on the water in San Francisco, as part of the "Urban Shield" disaster training this weekend.
First responders including the San Francisco Fire Department, the Coast Guard and others practiced how they would respond to emergency situations. They also assessed how they could improve.
The scenario was a commuter ferry that was hijacked by terrorists, causing a collision with another ferry. Officers attended to the injured in the scene and got practical experience from the training.
This was part of the Urban Shield exercises with the Alameda County Sheriff's Department.
In the South Bay, San Jose firefighters hosted the so-called “fire branch” portion of the exercise on Saturday. Fire responders went through various search and rescue drills at the training program.
The training program drew criticism from those who believe law enforcement has become too militarized.
On the other hand, supporters said it’s critical for improving regional disaster response capabilities.
