This disaster exercise highlighted the county’s ability to respond to a large-scale, multi-casualty emergency. Kristin Behrens, Public Information Officer at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, said, “I felt like it was obvious the main purpose was to improve and enhance our ability to keep our community safe and respond to disasters.”

The exercise was organized by the Tehama County MCI group. The MCI group is comprised of representatives from agencies serving the population of Tehama County who have a stake in emergency preparedness. These agencies include: Red Bluff Fire, Red Bluff Police, Tehama Co Sheriff, Cal-Fire, Corning Police, California Office of Emergency Services (OES), Shasta Cascade Hazardous Materials Response Team (SCHMRT), Tehama Co Environmental Health, Tehama Co Health Services Agency, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lassen Medical Group, Corning Medical Associates, Lassen House, Tehama Co Dept. of Social Services, Tehama County Dept. of Education, California Department of Public Health-Emergency Preparedness Office, and California Highway Patrol (CHP).

The MCI group meets monthly to discuss and collaborate on emergency preparedness activities in the county. The group is also utilized as a forum to host inter-agency disaster exercises. The group typically plans and performs two disaster exercises per year. The group strives to meet the individual exercise requirements of the agencies represented. In addition to the MCI group members, several additional agencies participated in this exercise. Assisting agencies included: Nor-Cal EMS – the Regional Disaster Medical Health Specialist, Shasta County Public Health, Colusa County Public Health, Lassen County Hospital Preparedness Program, Red Bluff Daily News, and the California Hospital Association.

Student actors portrayed ill/exposed inmates while Sheriff personnel guarded them in a temporary evacuation site.

Wide-scale participation in this exercise should display to the residents of Tehama County and northern California that there is a real commitment to ensuring the safety, security and preparedness of our community.