Press release from the Blue Lake Rancheria:

The Blue Lake Rancheria will hold a full-scale emergency simulation exercise on Wednesday, April 24, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. It will take place in and around the area of the Blue Lake Casino Hotel Sapphire Palace, located at 777 Casino Way in Blue Lake.

The exercise will be loud and includes participation from local first responder agencies from around the region.

During the exercise, those in the vicinity of the Blue Lake Casino Hotel should expect to hear simulated emergency conditions and actions, as well as see participants with simulated injuries, law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services personnel responding to the simulated emergency. First responders may impede traffic flow for vehicles and pedestrians near the casino.

All Blue Lake Rancheria businesses will remain open during the exercise.

The community should be prepared for a large emergency response and temporary traffic controls on the day of the event. The training simulation will require flexibility near the location of these closures. Please follow signage on the day of.

The purpose of the exercise is to train casino staff and local first responders on how to respond to an emergency at the Blue Lake Casino complex. The emergency simulation is intended to provide a real-time, realistic experience of an emergency and allow first responders from several partnering agencies to practice together, evaluate their emergency response procedures and solidify strong operational relationships.

For more information regarding the emergency simulation exercise, please email Andrew Bogar, mailto:abogar@bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov or call 707-668-5101 x1065.

Due to the sensitive nature of the exercise, it will be closed to the media. For media inquiries, please contact Isak Brayfindley, ibrayfindley@bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov

About the Blue Lake Rancheria

The Blue Lake Rancheria, California (BLR) is a federally recognized, sovereign Native American tribe and government located in northwest California. BLR was originally established as a refuge for homeless Indians by Executive Order in 1908. In 1958, during the ‘era of termination,’ BLR was terminated as a Tribe by the federal government. After 25 years of termination, and as a result of the Tillie Hardwick v. United States of America decision, BLR was reinstated as a federally recognized Tribe in 1983. Today, BLR has ~100 acres of trust lands spanning the Mad River in Humboldt County, California, within the ancestral territory of the Wiyot people. For more information please see this link.