San Bernardino County Fire (SBCoFD) recently conducted a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) drill at Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP), bringing together multiple agencies to simulate a large-scale emergency. The exercise tested coordination, triage, and patient care in a scenario involving a tour bus collision with multiple vehicles, resulting in dozens of injured victims.
Organizers chose JTNP for its unique challenges, including jurisdictional complexities, communication hurdles, and extended response times. Emergency responders from SBCoFD, CAL FIRE Riverside, the National Park Service, Morongo Basin Ambulance, California Highway Patrol, and other agencies worked together to triage and transport patients using a color-coded system to prioritize care.
Thirty volunteers played the roles of injured victims, including Supervisor Rowe, who suffered from a makeup-induced leg wound. She commented, “Residents don’t care whose jurisdiction an incident falls under—they just need help. By working together in multi-agency collaborations like this, we ensure the response will be swift, coordinated, and effective when a real disaster happens.” Training exercises like this strengthen emergency preparedness, ensuring first responders are ready when disaster strikes. To watch a recap of the Joshua Tree MCI, click here to visit San Bernardino County Fire on YouTube