Mass Casualty Incident Staged At Westside Properties

Tuolumne, CA — A mass casualty incident (MCI) drill was performed at the Westside Properties this morning.

Sponsored by the Sonora Union High School´s Transportation Department, the purpose of the drill was to review techniques and train those who could be responsible for responding to a vehicle-bus accident.

Objectives included focusing on multi-organizational cooperation in order to better prepare for a large scale multi-casualty bus incident. In addition bus operators were trained in how to deal with students prior to the arrival of emergency service personnel.

The introduction and review of triage and basic first aid skills was also included. In addition CAL FIRE personnel demonstrated large vehicle auto extrication techniques.

Agencies scheduled to participate included the Highway Patrol, Tuolumne County OES, Tuolumne County EMS, Tuolumne County Fire Department, Tuolumne County Sheriff´s Department, Tuolumne County Ambulance, Sonora Police and Fire Departments, PHI Helicopters, CAL FIRE and Vic´s Towing.

Statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate school bus transportation is eight times safer than travel to and from schools in private vehicles. Also school bus transportation is attributable to only a single death for every 500 million school bus miles traveled in the U.S.

Written by Bill Johnson