County Fire Participates In Multi-Agency Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Drill in Joshua Tree
JOSHUA TREE, CA — In a critical effort to enhance emergency preparedness and coordination, the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCoFD) participated in a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) drill at Joshua Tree National Park. The large-scale exercise brought together multiple agencies to simulate a traffic collision involving a tour bus and multiple vehicles, resulting in dozens of injured victims.
“It’s so important that we keep the drill realistic because it adds stress,” said a Jeff Allen, SBCoFD Battalion Chief and Agency Incident Commander. “We want it to be as real as possible.”
Training for Real Emergencies
This year’s MCI drill focused on the unique challenges posed by incidents in remote areas, particularly those straddling multiple jurisdictions. Joshua Tree National Park was selected as the location due to its proximity to two counties, communication hurdles, and extended response times.
Emergency responders from San Bernardino County Fire, CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, the Joshua Tree National Park, Morongo Basin Ambulance Association, Inc., San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, Combat Center Fire Department, REACH Air Medical Services, Mercy Air and other cooperating agencies worked together to respond to the simulated mass casualty event.
The drill scenario involved a tour bus colliding with several vehicles, resulting in numerous injured individuals scattered across the desert landscape. Thirty volunteers portrayed victims with varying degrees of injuries, helping responders practice triage, treatment, and transport logistics.
The Importance of Interagency Collaboration
“When we look at an incident of this magnitude, it takes all of these agencies coming together to successfully treat and care for the injured,” said Ryan Beckers, SBCoFD Public Information Officer. “We know time is of the essence. Our goal is to get patients from the accident to a hospital within the ‘golden hour’ – the critical window for lifesaving care.”
During the drill, responders triaged victims using a color-coded system:
- Green (Minor) – Walking wounded
- Yellow (Delayed) – Injuries requiring medical attention but not immediately life-threatening
- Red (Immediate) – Critical patients needing urgent care
- Black (Deceased) – Fatalities
The exercise tested command structure, patient tracking, resource deployment, and transport coordination -key elements in any real-world mass casualty response.
Putting Training into Action
While tabletop exercises and discussions are helpful, officials emphasized the necessity of real-world training.
“We can all sit in a room with the air conditioning on and discuss a plan, but you have to put boots on the ground,” said Battalion Chief Jeff Allen. “We need to get on the same page in a training scenario because once a real emergency happens, it’s too late to figure it out.”
By practicing realistic scenarios, agencies ensure that firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement, and emergency management teams can work seamlessly together when disaster strikes.
A Unified Approach to Public Safety
SBCFPD and its partners extend a huge thank you to all participants, volunteers, and support staff who contributed to this vital training exercise.
“Residents don’t care whose jurisdiction an incident falls under – they just need help,” said Dawn Rowe, San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “By working together in multi-agency collaborations like this, we can ensure that when a real disaster happens, the response will be swift, coordinated, and effective.”
For more information about San Bernardino County Fire’s emergency preparedness efforts, visit sbcfire.org.