Kan. Students` Disaster Responses Tested During Scenario Day
May 02--Garden City Community College was the scene of a homicide, a multiple-vehicle accident and a structure fire Tuesday morning. But there's no need to worry, it was only a test.
The incidents were part of GCCC's annual "Scenario Day," a capstone project for students in the Department of Public Safety. The event presents future police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians/paramedics with various emergency situations to test their reactions and skills in a safe but practical environment.
Officials from Finney County EMS, the Garden City Police Department and Garden City Fire Department helped to evaluate the students. Ambulances were brought in from Finney, Haskell and Kearny counties, and even the EagleMed helicopter arrived on scene to assist with one of the incidents.
The day's major incidents ran from about 8:30 a.m. to noon. About 55 students from the Department of Public Safety participated.
Department of Public Safety Director Linda Morgan said that she tries to make the incidents as real as possible by using convincing makeup to emulate injuries on the 17 victims brought in from Garden City and Holcomb high schools. She said that the event has been in planning since January and that she had been up since 5:30 a.m. ensuring everything was going to run smoothly.
"Much like Ride for the Future, this is how we team our cop kids, our fire kids and our EMT kids together," Morgan said. "They'll get to see their teammates in a way they never would in a classroom."
GCCC "dispatch" received its first major call at about 8:25 a.m. that suspicious activity was reported in a garage near the tennis courts. Police trainees responded and found a body at the scene. By 8:41 a.m., the students had secured the scene, organized media personnel in a designated location, and began the process of flagging potential evidence.
Morgan said that the criminal justice students would work on the scene until Tuesday. She said students would have to properly collect evidence, file search warrants and affidavits, and interview suspects if they hoped to secure an arrest.
The next call was a two-vehicle accident with multiple victims at about 9:20 a.m. Criminal Justice instructor David Rupp, who made the call to dispatch, said that the incidents give students of all three disciplines the reality of responding to emergencies.
For the accident, one of the vans actually was pushed into the other to cause a realistic point of impact. Since the college is getting rid of the vehicles, fire students had the opportunity to use equipment to cut out doors and seats to reach the multiple victims inside.
EMT students buzzed around the scene, treating victims and transporting them to nearby ambulances. Police and fire students assisted on the scene, bandaging injuries and helping to lift the victims onto stretchers. The air filled with the loud sounds of the passenger door being removed by the extrication equipment.
After being "cleared" to the hospital, victim volunteer Bryce Bicket returned to watch the action. A GCHS junior and hopeful EMT after graduation, Bicket said that the event was a powerful learning experience for him.
"If I could, I would honestly volunteer again," Bicket said. "I learn so much from watching them work."
The final major incident took place at the nearby fire training tower. As the EagleMed helicopter landed in a nearby field, EMST-Paramedic Program Director Brad Sisk echoed other staff sentiments, stating that the event provided valuable experience before they encountered a real emergency. He said that considering where the students are, he was impressed with their performance.
Most of the action for the final incident took place inside the smoky fire tower, but after a few moments it was clear what was happening. Two fire students had collapsed in the structure and nearby teams of fire students went in to rescue them. As they secured the two victims in nearby ambulances, one of them was taken to the waiting helicopter and flown away.
Finney County EMS Director Joe Hopkins was present for the day's events and was pleased with what he saw. He said that the college puts on an excellent Scenario Day every year, and that it always seems to get better. He said that he was most impressed with how the three teams worked together at the incidents, especially at the vehicle accident scene.
Hopkins added that the event helps current staff, as well. By participating in events like this, he said, staff can practice responding to large emergencies and get to know each other by name, adding that in an emergency situation, having a familiar face can be important.
As the day's events wrapped up, Criminal Justice sophomore Lucy Estrada was helping evaluate the evidence at the murder scene. She said that the value of the day was in its practical applications that gave students the ability to learn safely and practically.
"It helps us learn from our mistakes," Estrada said. "Instead of learning with books, this uses your skills hands-on."
Copyright 2012 - The Garden City Telegram, Kan.
