This mock mass casualty incident drill was planned by second year students in Southwestern's emergency medical science program.

Injuries ranged from shock to broken limbs, legs pierced with falling timbers, crushed chests buried under overturned bookshelves, blindness, dislocated shoulders, loss of breath and life-threatening allergic reactions.

EMS and outdoor leadership teamed together to triage and transport the victims to "Balsam Regional Hospital," a makeshift hospital in the Balsam Building Lobby. Here victims were registered, triaged and treated under the direction of Dr. Jorge Carreras, emergency room physician at Harris Regional Hospital. Victims were then sent to radiology, ICU, med/surge or physical therapy.

"A couple of the EMS students did not have trauma training but they did surprisingly well," said of the "shock victims."

"The goal of this exercise was to give the students an opportunity to apply the skills they have learned in their discipline area under a chaotic situation," said Eric Hester, EMS instructor. "Due to the number of victims with various degrees of injuries, the students had to think quickly and react appropriately to manage a chaotic situation. The experience and lessons learned during this event will stay with the students for a long time and be applied to their future positions as healthcare professionals."

"The one thing the students told me afterwards was that you can study it in the textbook or in clinicals, but nothing beats actual involvement," said Deb Klavohn, dean of health sciences.

Hester said the overwhelming response from the student reaction at the end of the event was, "WOW! That was awesome! When can we do it again?"

From victims to caregivers, more than 100 students in SCC's Health Science Division were also involved in the drill, including nursing, radiology, sonography, respiratory therapy, health information technology, health and human services, medical laboratory, physical therapy and outdoor leadership.

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