A young volunteer takes part in a mass casualty drill Tuesday, Sept. 27, at Riverside University Health System – Medical Center in Moreno Valley. Valley News/Courtesy photo
MORENO VALLEY – In a matter of minutes, Riverside University Health System – Medical Center was flooded with 50 mock patients covered in fake blood, cuts and bruises.The pretend patients were volunteers from Vista del Lago High School, Riverside County Emergency Management Department, nursing students from Riverside City College and paramedic and EMT students from Moreno Valley College who played the role of victims in a mass casualty incident.Mass casualty drills test the readiness of hospital staff and first responders to treat multiple victims of natural disasters, terrorist attacks, plane crashes and other public emergencies and to identify areas of improvement in their emergency response plans.Hospital staff often have just minutes or less to prepare before the arrival
