First responders drill on disaster response during San Francisco's Fleet Week

First responders drill on disaster response during San Francisco Fleet Week

For visitors Fleet Week is about fun and celebration, but for emergency workers there's also a serious side to the week-long event.

SAN FRANCISCO - For visitors Fleet Week is about fun and celebration, but for emergency workers there's also a serious side to the week-long event.

As Fleet Week activities ramp up, visitors will have opportunities to visit naval ships and watch the air shows. But first responders are working on building relationships that could one day save lives.

With naval ships in port and sailors and marines on shore Fleet Week is officially here.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed even offered a proclamation to a rear admiral for the US Navy.

"It is considered officially Fleet Week in the city and county of San Francisco," said Mayor Breed. "Thank you so much for being here to celebrate this auspicious occasion in our city."

Over the week San Francisco will continue to see visitors flood into the city for to take part in festivities.

Rear admiral Michael Baze said it's an opportunity for people to meet those serving their country.

"You'll recognize us because of these sterlingly awesome uniforms, and the ridiculously short haircuts," said Baze. "Please say 'hi,' ask us hard questions about what we do because I think it's really important that when you see those young folks you're going to be impressed like I am every day."

While the parade of ships and air show are fun for visitors, Fleet Week is serious business for the city's emergency workers.

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said the department will be fully staffed with officers in uniform and plain clothes patrolling the venues, but at this point there are no specific or credible threats.

"We don't know of anything at this point,' said Scott. "But that is a day to day, minute to minute thing that we always monitor and our federal partners that really set the threat level they always communicate with us when there's something afoot."

The city is also taking advantage of the military presence to prepare for a major disaster.

Each year the city drills on a different aspect of disaster preparedness. This year local and federal teams worked on preparing air based responses for a major disaster such as an earthquake.

"One of the components that took a lot of effort was the communication between our fire department, the police department the park and the military all use different modes of communication, and so we were able to move through that and trouble shoot that," said Mary Ellen Carroll from San Francisco's Department of Emergency Management.

Ship tours start Wednesday and run through the week. Air shows start Friday and run through the weekend.