Participants consulted each other by computer, phone and in person. Maryland State Police and transportation officials coordinated evacuation routes to prevent closure of the Bay Bridge from stranding Kent Island.
In an afternoon briefing, the state Department of Human Resources reported that 94,000 people were already in shelters. The Department of the Environment warned there would be "no potable water south of Cambridge" in Zoe's wake. The Department of Education said it had found 5,000 pounds of tuna, peaches, green beans and salsa if needed.
A steady stream of problems and responses played out on the Maryland Emergency Management Agency's Web-based communications system. Perhaps most importantly, said Cathy LaFleur of the Red Cross, coming together in person for the Zoe simulation gave participants a chance to know one another better before there's a real emergency. "It's all about the building of relationships and knowing each other's capabilities," she said.
