Sierra County Completes Mass Casualty Incident Training

SIERRA COUNTY — Emergency response agencies from Sierra and Plumas Counties recently took part in specialized training focused on managing mass casualty incidents. The session aimed to improve coordination among multiple organizations during large-scale emergencies.

A mass casualty incident, commonly referred to as an MCI, involves an event that produces a number of victims exceeding the immediate capacity of local emergency medical resources. Such situations require shifts in standard procedures to prioritize rapid triage, resource allocation, and patient distribution across available facilities.

The training was delivered by Mark Thomas, an EMS specialist with Nor-Cal EMS, which serves several northern California counties, including Sierra. Katie Russell, Sierra County’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, organized the event on behalf of Sierra County Public Health Emergency Preparedness.

Twenty-nine participants attended, representing the Loyalton Fire Department, Downieville Fire Department, Sierra City Fire Department, Sierra County Fire, EPHC Ambulance, Felix Fire, and the U.S. Forest Service Sierraville station. The program covered unified response protocols, resource management, incident command structure, and regional MCI policies.

Hands-on instruction and scenario-based exercises formed the core of the training. Participants practiced rapid decision-making, efficient allocation of limited resources, and clear communication across agencies in simulated real-world conditions.

Volunteers Blake Rauscher, Kayden Buell, and Gabe Phebus served as role players to add realism to the drill. Multi-agency exercises of this kind help ensure that fire departments, ambulance services, and other responders can operate together effectively during actual high-impact events.

Sierra County Public Health Emergency Preparedness continues to emphasize regular training and exercises to bolster the county’s overall emergency response capabilities. Residents seeking additional information on local emergency planning and resources may visit the county’s official website at sierracounty.ca.gov/223/Emergency-Planning.