Emergency drill provides real-life lessons

OREM — "We need additional stretchers and wheelchairs at the earthquake site," the voice on the other end of the radio blared.

"Do we have more blankets? We've used up all our blankets," another voice crackled.

Dozens of victims were rolled, wheeled and carried into the Timpanogos Regional Hospital Monday during a mock earthquake drill aimed at evaluating preparedness in Utah County.

"It was managed chaos, just like we expected," said Jan Rogers, Utah County Medical Reserve Corps coordinator.

Some of the exercise went well, while gaps in other areas became apparent.

Like the fact that some areas in the hospital were radio "dead spots" and communication was difficult, Rogers said.

But the community groups all worked together as a team, Rogers said, thanking the Timpanogos Regional Hospital, the Red Cross, the Southern Baptist church, the Utah County Health Department and surrounding cities.

The experience will help fine-tune groups' Emergency Operations Plans, she said.

The exercise was built around the scenario that a 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit along the Utah County segment of the Wasatch fault line at 10:45 a.m. Monday, disrupting traffic, damaging buildings, including hospitals, breaking power and water lines, and leaving at least 24 people dead. A train had also derailed near Geneva Road and 800 North, contaminating nearby people with an unknown substance that was leaking from one of the tank cars.

Katherine Craighead, a first-year nursing student, played a disoriented contamination victim who kept asking for her mom.

"(It's helpful) in case a big crowd comes in from a big emergency," she said of the training experience. "You know to stay calm, you know what works, what doesn't."

Most of the burned, broken, contaminated and bleeding victims, like Craighead, were nursing students from Provo College getting clinical hours for participating.

"This is good for them," said nursing faculty member Jennifer Bleyl. "It's a chance to see what really happens (in an emergency). It's not just a textbook. It's hands-on learning."

She said it will also help the future nurses show more empathy to their patients, because they will know what it's like to be injured.