Mass Casualty Incident Exercise happening in Pueblo on August 17
PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - On Aug. 17, 2023, the Pueblo County Fire Chiefs will be holding a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) exercise. The training is designed to test the Pueblo County MCI plan created in 2019 by the Pueblo County Fire Chiefs. It was last updated in 2022.
“This Mass Casualty Incident exercise is an opportunity for us to hone our skills as cooperating emergency respondents and community partners,” said Chief of the City of Pueblo Fire Department Barb Huber in a press release. “Testing our plan and our emergency operations are important pieces of ensuring we are all prepared when a real-world response is needed.”
According to city officials, the exercise will start at 9 a.m. and end early in the afternoon. Nearly 75 people from more than a dozen first-response agencies in Pueblo County will participate in the exercise.
The MCI exercise scenario involves a simulated railway accident which includes a bus accident requiring the activation of the Emergency Operation Center, Pueblo County fire agencies, and local hospitals.
Officials said the MCI will be evaluated by a countywide group and by staff with the State of Colorado.
During the training, the public may see exercise-related activity in the downtown area near Midtown Shopping Center. Responders participating in the exercise might be dressed in full protective equipment while mock accident victims will receive realistic-looking makeup. There will also be emergency equipment and vehicles deployed at the scene, Parkview Health Systems' main hospitals, and St. Mary Corwin Hospital. Helicopters might be present in the area during the exercise too.
“The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to join with other community partners to train and test our capabilities in responding to a mass casualty incident,” said Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero in a press release. “From the activation of the Emergency Operations Center to the play in the field, this is another great example of how our community comes together to practice and prepare for emergencies.”
For more information on the exercise contact Operations Deputy Chief of the City of Pueblo Fire Department Chris Harner at 719-553-2823 or Fire Chief of Beulah Fire Protection and Ambulance District and Exercise Director Bryan Ware at 719-485-2367.
