First responders from across Merced County converged on UC Merced Thursday for what they said was a highly successful response to a simulated emergency.
Police officers, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and medical personnel assembled at the university’s library to carry out incident duties and protocols. The UC Merced Police Department and Office of Emergency Management led the simulation — a yearly exercise at the university designed to enhance and evaluate the agencies’ collaboration and incident effectiveness.
Participating agencies included Merced police and fire departments; Merced County Sheriff’s Office, Probation Department, Department of Public Health and Office of Emergency Services; Mercy Medical Center; CalFire; Atwater Police Department; Riggs Ambulance; and California Office of Emergency Services. Campus departments such as the Division of Finance and Administration, Transportation and Parking Services and External Relations also took part.
“It’s absolutely important that we do these exercises with our campus partners and in collaboration with agencies across the county,” said UC Merced Chief of Police Chou Her. “Every time we do these, we find things we can improve and fine-tune.”
More than 70 volunteers played the roles of people caught up in the incident, which simulated responses to reports of an active shooter and multiple casualties.
UC Merced’s campus community received multiple notifications through email, texts and signage ahead of and during the exercise, which included sirens, flashing lights, an emergency klaxon and cordoned-off areas around the library.
Before the two-hour emergency exercise Thursday, the university hosted several hours of preparation training, in which first responders reviewed rescue and care tactics along with the federally approved incident command structure the exercise used.
Public Information Officer
