Marin County Holds Disaster Drill to 'Control the Chaos'

County staff and volunteers practiced reuniting victims with relatives and friends at a simulated emergency center.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Marin County held a disaster scenario exercise at the Marin County Civic Center campus, where county staff and volunteers practiced responding to a simulated mass casualty incident. The drill involved setting up a 'friends and relatives center' and a 'family assistance center' to help reunite victims with their loved ones in the chaotic aftermath of a propane explosion at a festival in downtown San Rafael.

Why it matters

The exercise was part of Marin County's two-year project to update its emergency response plan, which was funded by federal grants and a $130,000 budget. The drill allowed the county to stress-test its procedures and identify areas for improvement in managing the chaos of a large-scale disaster.

The details

The disaster scenario involved a propane explosion at a festival in downtown San Rafael that caused flames and panic in the dense crowd. During the exercise, volunteers portrayed various roles, such as people searching for missing relatives or friends, an 'emotional' 20-year-old, and someone pacing nervously. The relatives or friends of victims were directed to stations for services like financial assistance, mental health support, and child care.

  • The disaster scenario exercise took place on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
  • Marin County supervisors are scheduled to review and consider adopting the updated emergency response plan next month.

The players

Vanessa Flores

Program director for contractor Doberman Emergency Management Group.

Brianna Rowland

Spokesperson for the Marin County Fire Department.

Steven Torrence

Marin County's emergency management director.

Jesse Regala Paran

Chief operating officer for the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services.

Derek Johnson

Marin County Executive.

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What they’re saying

“In real life, it's going to be crazy, it's going to be chaotic. How do we manage that as best as possible? How do we control the chaos as much as possible?”

— Vanessa Flores, Program director, Doberman Emergency Management Group (marinij.com)

“When the blank hits the fan, we know who comes running and comes to serve our community. People are losing their minds, they don't know where to go. We are the people who show up for our community.”

— Jesse Regala Paran, Chief operating officer, Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (marinij.com)

“I know from a lot of experience that disaster response is a perishable skill. It requires constant training, and on top of that, we have new players and new people in our organization for whom this may be a foreign concept.”

— Derek Johnson, Marin County Executive (marinij.com)

What’s next

Marin County supervisors are scheduled to review and consider adopting the updated emergency response plan next month.

The takeaway

This disaster drill highlights the importance of ongoing emergency preparedness and training for local governments to effectively respond to and manage the chaos of a large-scale crisis, ensuring the community's safety and well-being.