SNOHOMISH COUNTY—The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a drill on May 26th to exercise emergency response plans and communications plans in the event of a major avalanche or collapse of the Big Four Ice Caves.
Aircraft from Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Life Flight network and Airlift Northwest will be participating, along with Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Granite Falls Police Department, Snohomish County Volunteer Search and rescue, Snohomish County Fire District 17, Snohomish County Fire Technical Rescue team, Everett Mountain Rescue, Sno911 wireless, and the U.S. Forest Service.
The drill will take place on Tuesday, May 26. In the event of inclement weather, the drill will occur on May 28.
Overall Scenario: A simulated collapse at the Big Four Ice Caves has resulted in multiple victims who are trapped or injured, requiring a coordinated large-scale emergency response involving both ground and aviation rescue resources. The exercise will emphasize interagency coordination and the use of the Incident Command System (ICS) to manage rescue operations effectively. Due to the remote location and limited radio coverage in the Big Four area, responders will also test communications plans and interoperability between agencies.
Participating first responders will conduct victim extrication, triage operations, and patient transfer to helicopter air ambulance assets. Safe helicopter operations will be a primary focus, with designated ground controllers and safety officers overseeing aviation activities throughout the exercise.
The Big Four Ice Caves parking lots and the Ice Caves Trail will be closed from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the day of the drill.
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
