First Responders Prepare For Worst by Sam Carlson - City News Group, Inc.

Community Calendar

MAY
S M T W T F S
26 27 28 29 30 01 02
03 04 05 06 07 08 09
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
View Events
Submit Events
directory

First Responders Prepare For Worst

By Sam Carlson, Community Writer
May 15, 2014 at 01:55pm. Views: 55

It is always a good idea to be prepared in the case of an emergency and the Colton Fire Department (CFD) recently took steps to make sure that their staff members are prepared in the case of a disaster. Due to the number of bus crashes that have been occurring lately, the CFD held a training session that stimulated a traumatic bus crash with the help of students from Summit Career College acting as the victims of crash. Twenty first-responders from the Colton and Loma Linda Fire Departments took part in the training session. There were 20 students who participated in the training session and wore tags around their necks to identify what kind of injuries they had. Tom DeBellis, Captain/P.I.O of the CFD, said the training is an annual event held for the the past 15 years. The training session focuses on various emergencies that may occur in the community. Some past training sessions have included a chlorine leak at a pool, a gas leak, and a bomb threat. The purpose of the session was to create a "coordinated chaos" in which responders had to familiarize themselves with how to best respond to a traumatic event that involves multiple people with a wide variety of injuries. Some injuries that students had were multiple broken bones, cuts, lacerations, and some students even wore tags that pronounced them as dead. DeBellis stated that it was a good exercise in working with communication centers and communicating with them to transport patients to appropriate hospitals and centers depending on the scope and severity of their injuries. The preparation for the event took an hour and the actual event took two hours at the training grounds at the CFD. DeBellis said, “The students that took part in the exercise had fun. When they were in the morgue their part was done and they took pictures and videos and watched their friends as they were being helped.” At the end of the day, first responders walked away knowing they have the skills and training needed to help save lives after going through a mock-disaster working with students and communication centers.

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Margie Miller, Your Realtor, Community Writer

April 29, 2026 at 02:04pm. Views: 422

Preparing a home for sale is about more than listing it, it’s about presenting it in a way that helps the right buyer feel instantly at home.

Photo Courtesy of: Elysia Fernandez

By Margie Miller, Publisher, Community Writer

April 30, 2026 at 12:04pm. Views: 1072

Elysia Fernandez and Assemblywoman Leticia Castillo holding Elysia's award for 2026 Woman of the Year for California's 58th Assebly District.

Photo Courtesy of: Riverside County Office of Education

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

April 30, 2026 at 12:04pm. Views: 826

Darian Noghani, Hillcrest High School, Alvord USD· Jasmine Verduzco, New Horizon High School, Banning USD· Christopher Valero, Beaumont Middle College High School, Beaumont USD· Larry Pozar Basilio, West Shores High School, Coachella Valley USD· Hannah Gbondo, Santiago High School, Corona-Norco USD· Rushil Ladhawala, Palm Desert High School, Desert Sands USD· Raef Johnson, Hemet High School, Hemet USD· Denise Muñoz, Jurupa Valley High School, Jurupa USD· Cassandra Caluag, Temescal Canyon High School, Lake Elsinore USD· Yaniah Gamboa, Moreno Valley High School, Moreno Valley USD· Christina Fayad, Murrieta Mesa High School, Murrieta Valley USD· Joel Ruiz, Desert Hot Springs High School, Palm Springs USD· Ariel Moreno, Palo Verde High School, Palo Verde USD· Daisy Casas Chavez, Perris High School, Perris Union HSD· Emanuel Garcia, Ramona High School, Riverside USD· Turner Daudert, San Jacinto Leadership Academy, San Jacinto USD· Lila Deinhammer, Temecula Valley High School, Temecula Valley USD· Bayann Jadallah, Citrus Hill High School, Val Verde USD

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

April 30, 2026 at 12:03pm. Views: 544

Ezekiel “Eze” Jahen, a Senior at Grand Terrace High School, stands ready to lead as a key contributor for the Titans during their matchup against Carter High School.

Photo Courtesy of: Photo courtesy of Moreno Valley Unified School District

By William Cortez, Community Writer

May 11, 2026 at 12:20pm. Views: 593

Students speak with professionals at career booths during a school career day event.

Photo Courtesy of: Kieker

By Celia North, Community Writer

May 11, 2026 at 12:19pm. Views: 153

Consistent care and the right growing conditions can turn a small backyard plot into a productive harvest space.

Photo Courtesy of: City News GroupPacking smarter is often less about bringing more and more about choosing better strategies from the start.

By Wyatt Pierce, Community Writer

May 11, 2026 at 12:19pm. Views: 148

Photo Courtesy of: Sweet Louise

By MediLinePlus, Community Writer

May 11, 2026 at 12:19pm. Views: 190

Seasonal illnesses are common, but knowing how to manage symptoms and prevent spread can reduce their overall impact.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Monica Alvarez, Community Writer

May 11, 2026 at 12:19pm. Views: 139

Updating flooring is one of the fastest ways to refresh a room’s look while adding durability and long-term value.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Miriam Lawson, Community Writer

May 11, 2026 at 12:19pm. Views: 143

Every act of faith begins small, growing stronger when nurtured with trust, patience, and purpose.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Faith Montgomery, Community Writer

May 11, 2026 at 12:19pm. Views: 153

Sometimes healing begins not with answers, but with the simple act of holding what is fragile with care.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Miles Thornton, Community Writer

May 11, 2026 at 12:19pm. Views: 153

Handmade bookmarks featuring floral patterns and soft pastel tones add a personalized touch to reading materials and gifts.

--> -->