Mass Casualty Exercise tests first responders

The Mass Casualty exercise last Thursday went off like clock work.

Sponsored by Southwest Washington’s Region 6, Homeland Security Coordinating Council, the multi-county exercise included Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties. The exercise was designed to test the emergency response capabilities of each county.

Public Information Officer Jerusha Kasch said as part of the exercise there was a shooting scenario. “The exercise was the example of a man who went looking for his wife in a meeting. When he didn’t find her he went on a rampage killing two family members and wounding seven others,” said Kasch.

From the house on Divison St. the “deranged man” drove to his wife’s work in Longview where, as part of the exercise, he killed her and several coworkers before turning the gun on himself.

“We had about 25 people involved at our end in Wahkiakum County,” said Cathlamet Fire Captain Beau Renfro. He said the exercise was a good first effort, adding that the county’s first responders learned a lot.

Kasch said the exercise was a good opportunity for the counties to work together. It provided feedback on how local government agencies, hospitals and clinics can work together in times of crisis. “It showed us how we’re going to meet the needs of these communities during a crisis in the future,” said Kasch.

Kasch said that the real challenge came when they switched emergency status from one county to the next.

“We learned that our communications worked pretty well,” said Renfro. He also said the exercise produced a lot of useful data that’s currently being evaluated and compiled as a research tool to show the different agencies involved how they can improve their emergency response methods.

In total, Cathlamet had 35 EMS and fire personnel respond to the exercise. Law enforcement had 15 law enforcement personnel on site and the Department of Health and Human Services had six mental health workers on site to counsel the (actor) family members of the exercise “victims.”

Authorities also counted the actors portraying family members, who arrived after the staged shootings. “There were about 20 victims that included the actors portraying the families,” said Kasch.

Detectives from Cowlitz County also arrived to assist with processing the crime scene. Afterwards county commissioner Blair Brady praised the responders during the commissioners' regular meeting, “This whole event was put on by volunteers, and they should all be proud of themselves,” he said.