A fake emergency that felt all too real in Imperial County
Adrik Vargas
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – First responders from across Imperial County came together this week for a full-scale emergency drill that looked and felt like the real thing.
Led by Imperial County Public Health, the training simulated an active shooter scenario and included over 100 participants from local fire departments, police, medical teams, and the bomb squad. The goal: To test how well agencies communicate, coordinate, and respond under pressure.
“This is a pretty elaborate drill,” said Cedric Ceseńa, Deputy Chief. “It had probably over a hundred participants, and that’s just the first responders. It’s very realistic.”
From handling mock injuries to working through a simulated explosive threat, teams had to act fast and work as one.
“We encountered an IED inside of a building, so coordination with the SWAT team was one of the things we discussed today and learned from,” said Aaron Castro, Fire Captain and Bomb Commander.
Officials say these drills are about more than just checking boxes, they help make sure that when a real emergency happens, everyone knows their role and can work together.
“It really helps tie our functions together,” Castro added. “It puts faces to names.”
While the scenario may have been staged, the preparation was very real, and could make all the difference when seconds count.