USF CERT volunteered as victims for a USF Health Advanced Disaster Life Support (ADLS) mass casualty exercise, which is a class of students training to respond to disasters, much like CERT, but with a higher emphasis on victim treatment.
The scenario: A bomb detonation in the USF Morsani College of Medicine. Classrooms full of students caught in the blast fill with smoke, and the screams of the students turned victims echo the halls of the building. A small team of ADLS Responders arrive on scene to begin victim triage and transport.
Students are yelling, screaming, crying, or simply silently succumbing to their injuries. The panic and mass hysteria found in the site makes responding harder, but all more realistic. Responders work through the three rooms, triaging victims and then transporting them to medical treatment areas, where they await transport by simulated helicopters and ambulances.
A great turnout of over 45 victims made the exercise a real challenge for the greatly outnumbered ADLS team. Victims came mostly from USF College of Nursing, USF College of Medicine, USF College of Public Health, and USF CERT. Upon arrival they were given character cards and then moulaged with simulated wounds using fake blood, makeup, and props to help play their role.
As victims, the volunteers will be allowed early registration to secure their spot in next year's ADLS class, which is taught by Dr. Fred Sloan, Dr. Catherine Divingian and USF CERT's Program Director, Elizabeth Dunn.
USF CERT Members participating in the exercise included Jordan Snead, Jay Rajyaguru, Christopher Smyth, Mikhaela Dieudonne, and Andrea Tristan. This exercise also allowed other participants who are interested in disaster response to learn more about USF CERT and sign up for our next class.
For more information on the ADLS Course, visit the web page for the course here.