PORT ANGELES — The Washington National Guard will fly into Port Angeles for an exercise coordinating with the Clallam County Emergency Management Section of the sheriff’s office and the Coast Guard in preparation for the Big One.

At the same time, residents are asked to acquaint themselves with the function of a Community Points of Distribution (CPOD), central places established in times of disaster to pass out food, water or other necessities to community members affected by the disaster.

This time, however, it will be a “reverse CPOD”: Instead of passing out food and items, organizers are asking residents to participate by driving through and donating a nonperishable item for area food banks.

The CPOD will be established from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. today at the north parking lot across from the Clallam County Fairgrounds.

National Guard members began arriving at Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles on Thursday evening and will continue to come in today via ground and helicopter transport.

Additional flight operations will take place Saturday with the Coast Guard, said Sheriff Bill Benedict. The flights might continue into Sunday as the troops depart from the operation.

“The emphasis of this exercise is coordinating communications between the three agencies and continuing to build on what was established last year during the Cascadia Subduction Zone state-wide earthquake drill,” Benedict said.

The 800-mile fault, which stretches from southern British Columbia to Northern California, spawns massive earthquakes an average of once every 200 to 500 years, with the last in about 1700.

Immediately following the onset of such a catastrophe, area residents most likely would have to look to themselves and their neighbors for help.

The expectation is that telephone lines and roads would be heavily damaged or destroyed.

All roads surrounding these exercises will remain open, Benedict said.

“No one should be alarmed by the increased military activity in and around Fairchild Airport,” he said, adding that there will be no night operations.