Students from three different programs at Lethbridge College took part in a mock disaster today at the DA Electric Barn and second floor of the Technology building.
The event involved students from the Criminal Justice, Communication Arts and Emergency Medical Services Education programs.
In the simulation, an argument took place at the DA Electric Barn between an older man, a waitress and two others and quickly escalated into shots being fired and people being hit with fake bullets.
EMS students were called to the scene of the crime as well as students from the Criminal Justice program to treat the wounded and interview witnesses.
Four shots were fired in total as three different people were shot, one of whom was pronounced dead at the scene.
EMS students transferred the injured into an ambulance and to a makeshift nursing unit on the second floor of the Technology building.
The purpose of this exercise was to involve the students in a scenario that is similar to what they will deal with once they enter the workforce in their chosen field.
Program administrator Kelly Mantler says that the event, both in the morning and the afternoon, went extremely well.
“The students were able to do something that they wouldn’t have been normally able to do in the classroom,” says Mantler.
The experience of having students from three separate programs participate in the event is something that Mantler says is important for all those involved.
“In the community, in these types of events, the media, the police and the emergency response do come together and what we’re looking at measuring is whether students feel it’s been a beneficial experience.”
In order to fully understand if this mock disaster was a success or not, Mantler says that a year from now, students who took part in the event today will be surveyed to see if what they experienced today is similar was helpful.
“This has been 10 months of planning, it’s been a lot of work and totally worth it, given the expressions on the students’ faces today.”
She also expressed interest in Lethbridge College doing more mock disasters in the future.
Once the injured were taken to the nursing wing, student helper Andrea Stuckart took the role of a nurse aiding the EMS students once they arrived.
Stuckart says that having the scenario unfold in a controlled environment helps the students by providing assurance that if something goes wrong, there are professionals who are nearby.
She also says that experiencing the incident firsthand can go a long way once the students enter the field.
“These kinds of scenarios you can read in a textbook, but to go and do it is a whole other scenario, so I think it’ll really be beneficial.”