Gunnison County and Gunnison Valley Health Announce Location Change for Full-Scale Mass Casualty Incident Drill

On Saturday, October 22, 2022, Gunnison County Emergency Management and Gunnison Valley Health will host a joint agency mass casualty incident drill. The drill is intended to test and improve the readiness of agencies within the Gunnison Valley to respond quickly and effectively in the event of a major disaster. The drill is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and will include Gunnison County Emergency Management, Gunnison Valley Health Paramedics, Gunnison Fire, the Gunnison County Sheriff’s department, the Crested Butte Marshals, Crested Butte Fire and EMS, Gunnison Valley Health, Gunnison County Public Works Gunnison Regional Communications Center, and state and federal response partners.

The drill has been moved from Taylor Canyon to the Shady Island River Park located on Highway 135. The park will be closed to public access on Saturday, October 22 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The new location at the Shady Island River Park will be safer for the public and those participating in the drill and minimize traffic disruptions for the community.

Gunnison Valley Health is still seeking anyone aged 7 and up interested in volunteering to be a part of the exercise and act as a disaster victim. The goal is to recruit volunteers of varying ages and abilities in order to best simulate a real-world scenario.

The time commitment for volunteers is 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. with food and transportation to the drill scene provided. If you are interested in participating as a volunteer, please visit https://bit.ly/GVH_Volunteer.

If you have questions about this joint agency exercise, please contact Gunnison County Emergency Manager Scott Morrill or Deputy Emergency Manager Lisa Clay at 970-641-2481 or Gunnison Valley Health at 970-642-8417.