Emergency personnel participate in disaster training

First responders Kirby Sybert, Jerry Lager, Morgan Wheeler and Kimberly Campbell help student actor Rachel Smith, Iowa, into the ambulance during a training exercise.

First responders and college students from across the United States participated in Missouri Hope, a disaster training event at Mozingo Lake Recreational Park on October 7.

County ambulance teams, firefighters, military medic units, life-flight helicopter teams, disaster prevention crews, nursing students and Red Cross members worked together during the training scenario that was designed to give participants practice working in a large-scale traumatic event.

According to Missouri Hope, responders are trained to do the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people, meaning they help those who are less injured first before moving on to the critically wounded. Rescuers first evacuate those who are able to walk. Next, the critically wounded are moved and given first aid while waiting for hospital transport.

“Students get immersed in the roles. It is hard to leave someone asking for help in order to help someone else. We do these trainings to try to ready their brains,” Johnn Carr, Northwest instructor and emergency disaster coordinator, said.