The Mesquite Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Mesquite Fire & Rescue, and Virgin Valley Amateur Radio Club received notification the morning of November 12, 2025 stating the following: “At approximately 0815 PST a magnitude 7.3 earthquake shook Mesquite, Nevada and surrounding area causing widespread power and cell communication outages. The epicenter was located near Cedar Pockets in the Virgin River Gorge, between St. George, Utah, and Beaver Dam, Arizona. Massive rockslides caused by the quake have shut down both directions of Interstate 15, trapping vehicles in the gorge, with their current condition unknown.”

This was the first Nevada Statewide Shakeout Drill performed here to enable Mesquite to be prepared for a major disaster. CERT Team Director Sandy Cooper said, “If a disaster strikes here, Mesquite can become an island, cut off from getting aid from others for at least three days. We must be prepared.”

With this real life scenario, the practice drill was on. Volunteer CERT members reported to Fire Station 3 for instructions as did the Volunteer Virgin Valley Amateur Radio team. In the event of a major disaster, our ability to communicate with others for aid is crucial, and CERT and the Virgin Valley Amateur Club are essential components.

Units of two team members were sent to various locations in the city for communications. CERT members called in reports for their areas.

Jonny Rauzi coordinator for the Amateur Radio team said, “We had no preconceived expectations from our exercise since it has never been performed at a state level. Of 17 Nevada counties invited, only three counties responded. We logged two operators from Carson County, seven from Washoe County, and two from Elko County. From Utah, we logged six from Washington County, ten from Iron County, one from Kane County, and one from Garfield County. We used six different radio modes to test not only our own capabilities but also those of other operators in their areas.”

This scenario reported I-15 road closures northbound and southbound in the Moapa and Beaver Dam area.

Cooper said, “On the CERT side we wrote realistic scenarios and had crews find out about real world capabilities at the Senior Center, Rec Center, and Holiday Inn. We asked about generators, bed availability for possible housing and food possibilities in case we were cut off for days from deliveries. This was an incredibly good exercise for the emergency capabilities for Mesquite.”

Rauzi said, “In conjunction with our exercise, Mesquite and Utah CERT members performed a scripted exercise to practice their communication skills while assisting Mesquite Fire in a simulated scenario, which included mock search and rescue operations from various locations throughout the city. “

The Ham Radio Club meets the second Monday of the month at Fire Station 3 at 6 p.m. For more information visit http://vvarc.net.

CERT meets the first Monday of the month at Fire Station 3 at 6 p.m. or call 702-275-8929.