South Bay Hospital Stages Disaster Drill Ahead of Major Events

TORRANCE, CA — Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance planned a large-scale disaster drill Tuesday simulating a nerve gas attack and explosions at a major sporting event as Los Angeles County prepares for the World Cup, Super Bowl and 2028 Olympics.

The exercise aimed to test the hospital's mass-casualty response, including decontamination procedures, emergency triage and the ability to handle a sudden surge of critically injured patients, according to organizers.

Hospital teams wearing hazmat suits ram decontamination operations at the facility's loading dock while emergency staff coordinated treatment efforts through a fully staffed incident command center.

"The drill gives clinical and non-clinical staff a controlled environment to practice life-saving response, strengthen coordination with EMS and public safety partners, and identify gaps before a real emergency," organizers said in a statement.

The scenario simulated a nerve gas exposure at a large sporting venue followed by secondary explosions, with roughly 60 simulated patient encounters expected during the exercise. Participants portraying victims included students from El Camino College's nursing program and Redondo Beach Unified School District, officials said.

The drill also tested the medical center's new decontamination partnership with Rapid Response Systems, or RRS, while allowing normal patient care and hospital operations to continue uninterrupted, organizers said.

Los Angeles County is preparing to host the 2026 World Cup, Super Bowl LXI in 2027 and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games, all of which are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region.

Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.