Emergency service organizations participating in the exercise met their goals and took lessons from the day, according to Bill Young, director of Lee County Emergency Medical Service.
Mock victims took roles of community members attending an event at the community center with an active shooter in the building. The volunteers wore tags identifying their age, gender and injuries. Stephen Cirinna, Lee County Emergency Management coordinator, instructed the mock victims to give conflicting information to emergency responders to mimic the chaos expected if circumstances were real.
Young used a bottle of stage blood and makeup to give the mock victims the appearance of bullet wounds. He said he wanted the paramedics and police officers to see the scene as it would happen if real. Ellie Herdrich of Donnellson enhanced the reality by crying as she sat on the floor holding the hand of another mock victim with a bullet wound to her neck.
Even unplanned events added to the realistic environment.
“During the exercise, there was actually a multi-vehicle accident down in Keokuk,” Cirinna said. “That is part of what happens during the exercise. Real life continues, and you can’t stop it, so you have to react to that.”
Ambulances and firetrucks congregated in front of the community center to “treat” eight of the mock victims and take them to Keokuk Area Hospital. Two of the mock victims were fatalities. In the drill scenario, the active shooter got away. Six local nursing homes responded to this part of the exercise by putting their buildings on lock down.
Before the drill began, Cirinna said emergency service organizations usually encounter the most challenges in communication during mock disasters like this one. In a previous drill, Cirinna said he called 911 and reached the Peoria, Ill., dispatcher, about one hour and 40 minutes away.
After this drill, Cirinna said the communication went well.
Compared to similar training she has completed in the past, Shanna Krogmeier, assistant director of Lee County EMS, thought drill participants performed their tasks well, especially determining triage and setting up the treatment area.
Krogmeier also noted the importance of the public allowing professionals space to respond effectively when not in a drill scenario.
“If you are on the scene and can help, that is one thing,” Krogmeier said. “But don’t come flocking to the scene.”
Elaine Kramer of Montrose, who portrayed a victim with a bullet wound to her foot, represented the first category Krogmeier noted. Her role included comforting other mock victims or applying pressure to their wounds. Kramer said she thought the drill went smoothly and the emergency personnel knew what they were doing.
Cirinna said having volunteers like Kramer to play the victims allowed the emergency responders a better learning experience.
“One of the reasons why we like to have the public as actors is that if we have to get actors from within one of the agencies, they are not able to participate,” Cirinna said. “They are playing a role, but they are not actually able to benefit directly from the training.”
Young pointed out the emergency vehicles did not use their lights or sirens to prevent alarming the community. To make response time as close to reality as possible, emergency vehicles were stationed at the Montrose Fire Department.
A follow-up meeting will be in about a week for all participants to discuss the drill and create plans to correct any concerns in an “after-action report,” Cirinna said.
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