Mock “active shooter incident” at CGTC trains students, LEO’s

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — It is a scenario that we hope to never find ourselves in: an active shooter situation. If we ever find ourselves hurt by a bullet, in that moment, we’re hoping that someone comes along that knows how to help.

Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) and Trinity School of Medicine (TSOM) held a training exercise Saturday to simulate an active shooting, something they called a “life-like, mass casualty disaster.”

During the training, nursing students had a chance to learn exactly what to do as part of a medic team. The students got an invaluable opportunity to render aid to those who were “hurt” in the simulated active shooter situation.

Over 40 students participated in the exercise, with instruction from practical nursing, registered nursing, surgical technology, EMS and paramedicine instructors.

The two schools went all out; “victims” were strewn about outside CGTC’s Defense Acquisition and Economic Development building. The “victims” were all safe and sound, but were made up with fake blood, bullet holes and shrapnel in their skin. One “victim” appeared to be missing a hand.

The training covered a variety of topics, from rendering aid on scene, to loading victims up into emergency vehicles and triage once a victim arrives at the hospital. The exercise also taught nursing students how to properly communicate with other first responders on scene.

In their daily lives, this exercise taught the students discernment on whether or not to get involved, emphasizing that it is best to let first responders render aid first, then when they’re called upon, they can spring into action and offer aid.

Leah Crosley, a nursing student at CGTC, reflected on what she would do if the situation were to arise.

“You’ve got to think on your feet, really fast, and I would just hope that my training would kick in and I would just know what to do,” Crosley said.

Crosley said the hands-on training prepared her for a real world scenario; she felt that she could not have learned it any other way.

“Somebody’s got to have some kind of reference point in their mind as to how they would do things, and I think this exercise is a great way to be able to establish that point,” Crosley said.

The two colleges who organized this event weren’t the only agencies involved. Alvin Harmon, CGTC’s Dean of Health, said this event was held in collaboration with other public safety agencies, something CGTC officials were excited about doing.

The Warner Robins Police Department, Warner Robins Fire Department, Houston Healthcare, Georgia State Patrol, Houston County EMS, Houston County Fire Department, Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Houston County 911 and CGTC Police responded to the active shooter “incident.”

Harmon said the CGTC’s Director of Nursing, CGTC Police Department, TSOM and the Warner Robins Police Department’s collaborations were vital in getting this event done. He also stressed that the event was valuable training not only for students, but for first responders as well.

Crosley agreed to the importance of collaboration.

“I think it’s really important that we develop relationships with different areas in healthcare,” Crosley said.

This was the second time CGTC carried out this exercise, preparing for well over a whole year to execute it. CGTC carried out a similar event last year, preparing for six weeks on the first event. CGTC hopes to make it a yearly occasion.

Another change from last year’s event brought the focus to a “real world” scenario, as opposed to an on campus situation.

Harmon emphasized how critical this training was for students.

“Unfortunately we live in a time where mass casualties are not uncommon. One of the things that healthcare practitioners will have to be able to do is to respond to challenges, and not only meet them, we want our students to excel at meeting those challenges,” Harmon said. “When you have a real world simulation such as the one we’ve designed [for Saturday,] that prepares students to get that training in this environment. We get to give them feedback, and work on some skills that they can further develop.”

Crosley hopes to be able to be there for those in need.

“I really like to help out patients,” Crosley said. “A lot of people haven’t had surgery. It’s a really scary place to be, so I just want to be able to comfort them and help bring them through that scary time in life.

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