Last Thursday, East Ohio College nursing students in Calcutta were given a mass casualty simulation. Personnel from the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department, St. Clair Township Police Department and Lifeteam participated. Firefighters Jacob Roush and Lt. Randy Schneider of the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department carry nursing student Kyle Weaver, who plays the role of an injured person, out of the building during a mass casualty simulation to give nursing students a sense of what a real-life emergency might look like. More photos on page A9 and the full gallery on reviewonline.com (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
The simulation was designed to recreate an explosion in a university chemistry laboratory caused by students improperly mixing chemicals.
The drill began with an alarm and firefighters going into a dark, foggy hallway to find and extinguish the fire. Firefighters and paramedics then walked with the graduates through a dark, smoky hallway from room to room to clear the rooms. The students’ job was to find victims, distinguish the survivors from the fatally injured, and get the injured students out of the building.
After leaving the building, the injured students were taken to a decontamination tent where they were stripped of all chemicals. They were then divided into tents based on the severity of their injuries, from walking injuries to serious injuries requiring immediate treatment.
Because it was a chemical explosion, all patients were taken to a white tent for decontamination to ensure the safety of the caregivers. They were then triaged by injury and sent to the appropriate colored tents. Patients requiring immediate medical attention due to life-threatening injuries were placed in a red tent, patients with injuries that might be delayed in treatment were placed in a yellow tent, and those with mobility issues or minor injuries were placed in a green tent.
Nursing student Christa Green, assigned to the task of search, rescue and treatment, helps Sydney Boyker, playing the role of an injured student, exit a building during a mass casualty simulation conducted by East Ohio College’s nursing program. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Approximately 35 volunteers from the current class (class of 2025) and their families and friends played the role of victims who needed to be rescued or treated, and the 30 graduates participated in the search and rescue. The victims had various injuries, including a pair of scissors impaled in the stomach of one student. All injuries were simulated with makeup/paint.
Students, staff and first responders agreed that the mass casualty simulation, which the college plans to conduct annually, was beneficial to all involved.
Lifeteam paramedic Jeramiah Cole said he thought it would be an interesting experience for all nursing students to see what happens in this field.
“These incidents are rare and thank God we don’t see them often, but it is eye-opening for nurses to see what happens before the patient comes to them,” said Cole.
Deputy Fire Chief Shane Hamilton of the Calcutta VFD said one of the main benefits of this type of training is that it allows for a precise focus on who would be available to respond should such an explosion ever occur.
Nursing graduate Evan Kovacevic checks the vital signs and vital signs of an injured student during a mass casualty simulation at East Ohio College’s nursing program. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
“It was equally beneficial for us because it’s the perfect time for us to learn these things when it’s not about the real thing, and it’s the perfect time for the students to learn.” said Hamilton. “I think they did a great job. You wouldn’t have guessed they were students from the way they did their work inside. The way they dealt with the patients was remarkable. I was very impressed.”
Paramedic Karl Griggs said he thought the exercise was useful as it would help in all types of disasters.
“These are so rare that if you don’t train for that scenario, people will no longer know how to deal with it and how to contain the chaos by trying to organize it. If something like this ever happens, organized chaos is an advantage.” said Griggs.
Student Christa Green said it was a lot of fun and a good learning experience.
“Honestly, this isn’t something you can really prepare for. I think it just gives us an idea of what to expect if it actually happens so we don’t panic so much.” she said.
Nursing students Jennifer Luyster, Caitlyn Rike and Johnneeckquia Hopkins from East Ohio College carry student Ericka Withrow, who is playing the role of an injured student, to safety during a mass casualty simulation. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Student Dana Cayton, who worked as a doctor for 20 years before going to nursing school, found the training great because it prepared students for real-world scenarios, especially in the industrial field.
Amand Bednarek of East Ohio College said they have conducted such an exercise for the past two years and it has become more challenging each time.
“It is really important that seniors are included in such a scenario,” said Bednark. “This has been an incredible experience for everyone. The fire department has been a great team and has already volunteered to take the next steps with us over the next year or two to experience a very realistic event. They have been phenomenal and have committed to planning next year.”
Tammy Clutter of East Ohio College said she wanted to express her gratitude to the police, firefighters and paramedics who helped with the exercise.
Assisted by a firefighter from the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department, East Ohio College nursing students Stephie Cogis and Christa Green check for signs of life on an injured student during a simulated mass casualty response. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Nursing students Evan Kovacevic and Jordan Webb of East Ohio College determine that the injured student they found during the search and rescue operation of a simulated mass casualty incident did not survive the head trauma he sustained in an explosion, while firefighters from the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department search the room for additional victims/survivors. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Stephanie Toy, a nursing student at East Ohio College, plays the role of a student who suffered a head injury in an explosion at school during a mass casualty simulation event. She waits for help to be brought out of the building and treated. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Firefighters from the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department walk through the dark hallways of East Ohio College in Calcutta, searching for victims after putting out a simulated fire during a mass casualty simulation event for the college’s nursing program. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Tents are set up outside to sort the injured and prioritize the treatment needs of those rescued from an explosion in a chemistry lab during a mass casualty simulation for nursing students at East Ohio College in Calcutta. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Many students, such as Cheyenne Hobbs and Sheyenne Kolling, were made up with theatrical makeup to create wounds that nursing students could examine and treat after an explosion during a mass casualty simulation for nursing students at East Ohio College in Calcutta. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Members of the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department, St. Clair Township Police Department and Lifeteam gather for a group photo with East Ohio College nursing students in Calcutta from a mass casualty drill they all participated in. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
