August 27, 2018
The University of South Carolina (USC) School of Medicine Greenville conducted its seventh annual disaster preparedness drill on August 24 in partnership with Greenville Health System (GHS), local law enforcement, fire departments and emergency medical services (EMS). This year’s event featured new challenges for the participants as well as new partners, including Greenville and Oconee County first responders, nursing students from Clemson University and Greenville Technical College and undergraduate pre-health students from USC and Clemson University.
A capstone event for first-year medical students’ Emergency Medical Technician certification, this year’s exercise was split into two identical drills, instead of the usual four. Drills occurred at the medical school and the adjacent Clemson University Nursing building on GHS’ Greenville Memorial Medical Campus.
This year’s event was constructed around an active shooter scenario. Additionally,
a decontamination componentwas added that included a classroom of students becoming
contaminated with an unknown substance inflicted by the assailants. As in the past,
organizers made this experience as true to life as possible with sights and sounds
of actual emergency situations, including sirens, costume makeup to mimic injuries,
thick smoke, gunshots and belligerent patient-actors.
“In its seventh year, our full-scale emergency drill continues to foster an all-hands-on-deck
spirit from our medical students, our community partners, and this year, local nursing
students,” said Thomas Blackwell, MD, director of the medical school’s EMT program.
“We are very thoughtful about our approach to designing the drill to ensure that it
is as relevant as possible for our future physicians and nurses, and for our first
responders.”
To maintain an element of surprise for those involved, and to address current issues
that are relevant to healthcare professionals and law enforcement, various customizations
are added to the scenarios each year. In the past, participants have had to face hostage
situations and armed patients in the triage area.
“It is imperative for our deputies to practice real-life scenarios, alongside other
first responders and medical professionals so they can effectively serve the community
during any type of situation,” said Sheriff Johnny Mack Brown. “What better method
of preparation than what is orchestrated by the USC School of Medicine Greenville.
We are very thankful for this revolutionary training.”
The USC School of Medicine Greenville was the first in the country to require first-year
medical students to complete an EMT certification course and maintain certification
for two years. Students serve the community as EMTs during their first two academic
years, which provides them with a breadth of in-person and interdisciplinary clinical
experiences and increases their awareness of the populations and communities they’re
serving.
“I have loved being a first-hand witness to the impressive evolution of this event and its increasing impact from both an education and community standpoint,” said Jerry Youkey, MD, dean of the medical school. “I am thrilled to welcome additional students this year, as we seek to implement interprofessional education opportunities that continually improve care for the benefit of the Upstate.”
Many thanks to the Fluor Foundation for their generosity in making this valuable event possible. Photos from the event are available here.