TRAINING FOR DISASTER
COLLEGE STUDENTS RESPOND TO PARTY GONE BAD
Shelby Wilson, above, comforts a stab wound victim played by A.J. Baragar as Nicolas Bohle looks on during the mock disaster event at Lethbridge College on Saturday. At right, Maddie Taylor-Gregg, portraying a fentanyl overdose victim, receives CPR from an EMT student.
It may have been the morning but the party had just wrapped up after going terrible wrong.
At least that’s what students portrayed during the fifth annual mock disaster event at Lethbridge College on Saturday.
Nearly 100 students from the Digital Communications and Media, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Health Care Aide and Nursing Education of Southwestern Alberta and Criminal Justice - Police programs participated.
The scenario ran twice — in the morning and afternoon — so students had equal opportunity to experience hands-on training.
The students involved did not receive any information on the scenario beforehand, which forced them to respond to the chaos in real time.
“This year’s scenario involved a party gone bad. We had a situation where there was a lot of drinking going on, we had a drug dealer show up and provide drugs to a student who had already overdosed on fentanyl, which is becoming a huge issue throughout society in Canada and we were able to see how things can just blow up,” said Pete Gingras, instructor with the Digital Communication and and Media.
“This is probably their first connection with this kind of scenario.
“When they get hired by an agency, whether it be on the medical side, the policing side, a media business, they’re expected to go out and function and do their job properly and if they don’t have any experience going into there, they’re learning on the job and it’s really trial by fire,” he added.
In the past, only the media, policing and EMT students were involved, but during this year’s disaster, they’ve included the nursing students, as well.
“We’ve kind of got a hospital scenario setup back at the college where the EMT folks will take the injured for early treatment,” said Gingras.
Another aspect that’s new to this year’s mock disaster is the introduction of 360-degree video.
“The reason for that is, we’re all aware of what virtual reality has done for the entertainment and gaming industry, but from a journalism standpoint, 360-video is the new kid on the block and we are as journalists, trying to figure out how 360 video can change and enhance a news consumer’s experience.”
Gingras feels that no matter what program these students are in, they will all be serving the same people.
“We have to understand that everyone has a role to play and respect for the roles of all four disciplines is paramount when yo’re dealing with a scene such as this.”