Published: October 22, 2006 11:58 pm      

Ready for disaster

Worthington Elementary disaster drill tests emergency crews’ abilities

WORTHINGTON — Brandon Boyles lay on the cafeteria’s cold floor, trying not to move.

He was one of the lucky ones — still alive after a plane crash at Worthington Elementary.

“It’s pretty fun,” he said, grinning a bit. He just couldn’t help it.

After all, it’s not easy for a sixth-grader pretending to have “lacerations with moderate bleeding to the upper leg,” according to the tag pinned to his shirt.

But Boyles, one of 20 students who took part in a disaster drill last week, echoed classmates’ and area emergency officials’ sentiments that such exercises are very important.

“It teaches you what you need to do when something really happens, like a natural disaster or something,” he said.

Emergency responders across Greenup County, and around the Tri-State, participated in the full-scale mock at the school.

They included Flatwoods, Raceland, Russell and Worthington volunteer fire departments, Greenup County EMS, Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, several police departments, county officials and even Cabell Huntington Hospital’s HealthNet medical helicopter, said Dennis Bass, Greenup County Emergency Management Agency director.

“Basically, right off the bat within three minutes we have police officers at the school, and within five minutes the fire department,” Bass said, watching scenarios unfold, clipboard in hand.

Firefighters in full gear doused a model airplane outside the cafeteria, then proceeded inside to assess the situation. Once clear, they sent in paramedics, who practiced a multiple-victim scene. Police even had to handle two irate parents.

The mock disaster continued all the way to the hospital, as most pretend victims were whisked away by ambulance. In a chilling reminder that a disaster is just that, some played dead.

“When something happens for real, this helps us know what to do,” said Greenup County Judge-Executive Bobby Carpenter, who also practiced conducting news conferences.

It puts people in a real setting, with the advantage that they can learn from mistakes with no harm done, Carpenter said.

“It prepares people, from fire and EMS to school authorities and even prepares the kids,” he said. “Being where this school is, with an airport nearby, it’s a good drill.”

Mike Mullins, school principal, agreed. Staff practiced what they would do, even the call to 911, and listened as dispatchers and responders took over.

“Isn’t it great,” he said, “to hear the calls? It proves the system is in place, and it’s working.”

The obvious advantage for the staff and students comes in preparation, just as they learn in tornado, fire and earthquake drills, Mullins said.

“And for the community as well it shows you, one, that you’ve got confidence in your emergency responders, your people; and two, it’s learning what you need to do in any emergency situation.”

ALLEN BLAIR can be reached at ablair@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2657.