Police, firefighters train at Empire Polo Grounds

Update: 6:15 p.m.

It was a very active Tuesday at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio as various first responder conducted at mass casualty drill. The agencies involved in the drill included the Indio Police Department and CAL FIRE/ Riverside County Fire.

Sgt. Dan Marshall, press information officer for Indio Police, said the drills were done every year and about 60-70 responders participated. He said the drill comes at a time when everyone was preparing for a busy April with various music festivals coming up drawing potentially hundreds of thousands of festival-goers.

“We want to make sure when that does happen and if that does happen…we hope it doesn’t…we’re ready and we’re prepared,” Sgt. Marshall said.

During the drill, officers drove down Avenue 50 into the Polo Grounds and secured the scene, while paramedics tended to those injured who were played by local medical students. They all responded to a simulated call of an explosion at the Polo Grounds. One of the students said after seeing the first responders in action, she felt confident she would be safe.

“I want to make sure that I’m going to be there and there’s back up in case something were to happen like today,” Karla Lopez said.

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Indio police and Riverside County fire departments are conducting a first-responder training exercise that authorities said would beef up the presence of police officers and firefighters in the city Tuesday.

The departments held their training session between 9 a.m. and noon at the Empire Polo Grounds at 81800 Ave. 51.

Indio Sgt. Daniel Marshall said police and fire personnel were visible along Avenue 50, west of Monroe Street on the polo grounds during those hours. Residents were warned to drive carefully when in the area.