FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 7, 2007

CONTACT

Robin Koons
Emergency Response Coordinator
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
303-692-2719

Paulette Horr
 Public Information Officer
Summit County Sheriff's Office
 970-453-2232 ext. 303

Large-Scale, Mass Casualty Exercise to Occur June 13 in Summit County

DENVER-- The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is sponsoring a large-scale, mass casualty exercise June 13 involving more than 200 participants from 75 agencies across the state. Summit County will host the exercise.

Participants will be exercising their ability to respond to a mock scenario involving a large gathering of people where something goes terribly wrong, resulting in injuries to more than 300 people. The exercise, beginning at 8 a.m. and lasting until 4 p.m., will occur on property provided by Keystone Resort.

The exercise will involve the use of medical helicopters and ambulances from throughout the state to assist in mock patient care at the scene, as well as moving mock victims to hospitals in the mountain communities and along the Front Range.

The Department of Public Health and Environment is using a grant for hospital preparedness to provide an opportunity for medical transport agencies and hospitals to practice with community leaders and first responders. The grant was provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The exercise will focus on communication and coordination of response to a mass casualty incident. This will include tracking the movement of the victims to hospitals, as well as assisting family members in locating loved ones.

Exercise participants are listed below.

Other (5):

• American Red Cross - Summit County

• Colorado Disaster Medical Assistance Team - managers of the Colorado Public Health and Medical Volunteer System

• Central Mountain Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council - coordination of mass casualty incident planning for the central mountain region

• Foothills Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council - coordination of mass casualty incidents planning for the Foothills region

• Mile High Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council - coordination of mass casualty incidents planning for the Denver-Metro area

---30---

State of Colorado,  Department Home