Sierra Conservation Center hosted a regional Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Training Drill on June 1, helping county and state agencies prepare for a disaster.
The training included Sierra Conservation Center staff from Custody, Nursing, Medical, and Fire.
Additionally, multi-agency participation and assistance was provided by California Highway Patrol and Cal FIRE.
Participating from Tuolumne County were:
- Sheriff’s Office
- Fire Department
- Manteca District Ambulance Service (serving the county)
- Emergency Medical Services
- Office of Emergency Services
Others involved included:
- PHI Air Med Air Ambulance
- Adventist Health Sonora Hospital
- Modesto Fire Department Hazardous Materials Special Operations Unit.
The disaster drill
The drill began with a radio transmission reporting smoke coming from the institution’s laundry building. Custody staff investigated, then initiated a Code 3 Alarm Response for a structure fire with multiple casualties inside.
The reality-based training involved the institutional Fire Department, Code 3 Custody and Medical alarm response as well as the outside resources responding from a nearby staging area. Outside agencies were staggered for entry, simulating their estimated response time to the institution.
The training scenario focused on casualty rescue, triage, treatment, emergency decontamination, movement, and ambulance transport. Fire companies also conducted fire suppression, smoke ventilation, and air abundance landing operations.
Ten role-playing casualties were identified throughout the drill with a variety of injures requiring them to be triaged into four categories: Red (Immediate), Yellow (Delayed), Green (Minor), or Black (Deceased).
A smoke machine, light and sound diversionary devices, injury make-up, charcoal and ash, and other materials where used to make the scenario realistic.
In all, 50 custody staff, 30 medical staff, five fire engine companies, three ambulance crews, one Haz-Mat company, one air ambulance, as well as several outside agency units participated in the drill. No injures where reported as a result of the training.
This multi-agency reality-based training was a great success, benefiting stakeholders. Sierra Conservation Center’s In-Service Training office coordinated the event with community partners.
By Lieutenant Ruben S. Jauregui
