'Mass Casualty' Training Planned At Lake Elsinore's Diamond Stadium

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — If you see police and fire activity around Lake Elsinore's Diamond Stadium on July 18, do not be alarmed: this is only a training exercise, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.

The training was slated to take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, July 18, at Storm Stadium at 500 Diamond Drive in Lake Elsinore, Sgt. George Reyes announced.

Malaga Road and Pete Lehr Drive will be closed, west of Diamond Drive, during the training.

This Critical Incident Response Training will include officers from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and other first responding agencies, Reyes said.

"This training event, led by FLETC, will involve role players, designed to give law enforcement agencies realistic scenarios they may encounter when responding to an active shooter incident or a potential mass causality event," he said.

According to Reyes, the goal is to test emergency protocols and procedures. The mass casualty simulation allows personnel to practice their responses during the simulated emergency and hone their plan before—or in case—such an event ever occurs.

Captain Sean Vickers, Ben Clark Training Center’s commander, spoke on the importance of training in such a way, before an emergency occurs.

“Law enforcement prays they never have to respond to these types of events, but it is absolutely necessary we train for these situations to ensure we are prepared should tragic events like this occur,” Vickers said.