*GRAHPIC WARNING – While this situation was staged, and no one was actually injured, some photos depict scenes that may bother some, and contain simulated yet realistic injuries.*
Arriving to a scene full of injured victims is any first responder’s worst nightmare.
However, thats exactly what emergency personnel were tasked with when they participated in a mass casualty simulation Wednesday in Bridgewater.
Police, fire and EMS personnel rushed around the South Shore Exhibition Grounds assessing victims during a mock scenario which saw a drunk driver crash through a wall and into the foyer of a building.
The simulation included a car that had driven into a building, injuring many. After questioning, police determined the driver was intoxicated.
Nova Scotia Community College students stood in as victims for the simulation and were strewn about the site, with some yelling out for help as they hovered over their injured colleagues.
Before the exercise, students had fake injuries applied to them ranging from minor to severe in order to simulate live victims of the accident.
Before the scenario, students were made up with fake injuries such as open wounds and items protruding out of them.
First responders acted quickly, relying heavily on their communication skills, efficiency when dealing with multiple victims and and experience with crowd control to move through the scene, question witnesses and tend to the injured.
Above the exhibition grounds circled a Life Flight helicopter as it prepared to land. Once on the ground, air personnel pulled out two stretchers to practice transporting critically injured victims.
A Life Flight helicopter was brought in to practice transporting critically injured victims.
The exercise wrapped up shortly before noon with a briefing for first responders who participated.
Each year, the Nova Scotia Dept. of Health and Wellness hold this exercise in a different area of the province, to provide local emergency personnel a chance to experience a high level incident to help them prepare for potential future situations.
More photos and video below.
Reported by: Cody McEachern
Twitter: @CodyInHiFi
E-mail: mceachern.cody@radioabl.ca
Some students walked around the scene, yelling for help and checking on others who were more severely hurt.
Students were each given a different role to play, with some acting as uninjured bystanders and others as injured or deceased victims.
“Oh my god, you killed them!” a student portraying the distraught car passenger cried during the scenario.
An EMS worker prepares a bandage for one of the student’s neck wound before transporting them from the scene.
The scenario included a chaotic scene for first responders to make their way through.
First responders moved quickly to assess and tend to the injured on scene, being sure to pay close attention to info charts pinned to each student outlining their pulse, blood pressure and other readings.
Once on the ground, air personnel proceeded to the scene with two stretchers and emergency gear.
