March 21, 2022. Reno/Sparks, NV – The Washoe County Health District and Washoe County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program are conducting a large-scale emergency preparedness exercise/training that involves multiple first responder agencies and local organizations. It’s set for Tuesday, March 22, 2022-Thursday, March 24, 2022.
Media are invited to attend to get b-roll and interviews for two dates (see below).
Many of the details of the exercise are being withheld at this time for training purposes but will be available the day of the events. This exercise has been planned for more than six months with state and local partners. This is a hazardous materials exercise and is designed to prepare staff for a variety of emergency situations should they occur.
The new Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center will be the main location for the first day of the exercise, March 22. The second location for media to observe on Tuesday will be the Regional Emergency Operations Center.
On the final day of the event, March 24, a different element to the response will be available for media to observe and it’s being led by the Washoe County Health District and its partners.
What: Emergency Preparedness Three-Day Exercise
Where and When:
Tuesday, March 22, 2022, 9-10 a.m. – Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center, 625 Innovation Drive, Reno. Enter the campus off Innovation Drive (only one gated entrance is open) and pull around to the front of the campus which faces Longley Lane.
Media contact is Jamii Uboldi, System Director, Marketing & Communications, Northern Nevada Health System, 775-240-2820, jamii.uboldi@uhsinc.com
Parking available in light blue area of attached. The parking lot is labeled “Emergency Department Parking”.
11-11:30 a.m. – Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC), 5195 Spectrum Blvd, Reno.
Media contact is Scott Oxarart, Communications Manager, Washoe County Health District, 775-276-1021, soxarart@washoecounty.gov.
Parking is available in front of the REOC.
Thursday, March 24, 2022
9-10 a.m. – Washoe County Health District, 1001 E. 9th St., Building B, Reno.
Media contact is Scott Oxarart, Communications Manager, Washoe County Health District, 775-276-1021, soxarart@washoecounty.gov.
Parking is available in front of Building B.
The agencies/organizations involved in the exercise include the Nevada Division of Emergency Management, Cities of Reno and Sparks, Washoe County, Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue, Reno Police and Reno Fire, Sparks Police and Sparks Fire, REMSA Health, The VA Sierra Nevada Hospital, Red Cross of Northern Nevada, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center, Renown Health, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Washoe County District Attorney’s Office, Incline Village Community Hospital, Tahoe Forest Hospital, Barton Memorial Hospital as well as several local skilled nursing facilities, dialysis centers and surgery centers.
The Washoe County Health District is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making Washoe County District Board of Health. The District consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here.