EMS students play their parts in crisis training
Crisis drill gives CTE students a different view of emergency response
The Sept. 24 CERT drill, hosted by Westchester County Department of Emergency Services, was designed to simulate the aftermath of an active shooter situation. The drill focused on the needs of displaced families and individuals who would be in need of shelter and social resources after such an event.
“Drills like these are great opportunities for our students to work with real world professionals and gain valuable experience,” Mr. Del Greco said.
The SWBOCES students were among a group of 75 volunteers, portraying a range of possible victim types with a wide range of needs and behaviors. This work-based learning opportunity gave students the chance to see a different perspective of a crisis and developed their abilities to show empathy and compassion to victims and patients.
Amara Osei, a senior from Woodlands High School, portrayed a pregnant woman. Responders placed her in a medical section where she pretended to be in labor.
"We're learning about pregnancy and the first stages of life and newborns (in class), so that's how I knew how to act," said Amara, who aspires to become a neonatal nurse after college.
“It did feel real,” she said. “I didn't even know the (drill) was done until I saw the whole room clear out. I was still acting."
She would advise future students to pay close attention in class to the instruction they are given so that they can bring that knowledge to the roles they may be asked to play.
Besides a pregnant woman, Amara was also asked to portray someone with COVID who was resistant to being separated from other “victims.”
Large scale simulations like this are hosted regularly by the county. In the spring, students will have the opportunity to participate in a simulated airplane crash at Westchester County Airport.
Alyssa Carasquillo, a senior from Harrison High School, portrayed a person with a cognitive disability who was disoriented following the hypothetical incident.
She must have been convincing, she thinks, because the responders seemed to show genuine concern for her. In fact, she was careful to avoid overdoing it.
"At one point I thought, I'm just going to stick to it,” Alyssa said, “because if this was a real incident they would need to know how to deal with somebody who acted like that."
The exercise gave her confidence that she could manage well in a crisis. She plans to become an EMT while studying for a career in social work.
"Attending to all those people looked really hard,” she said, “but I thought, I can do that."
