February 27, 2019
All hands on deck
First drill of its kind
By TYSON SMEDSTAD
By TYSON SMEDSTAD
Undercover detectives head to 6-Mile Corner to meet a drug dealer. A scuffle ensues and two shots are fired, one into the chest of an officer. Within a few minutes the Garrison/Max ambulance arrives on the scene and a National Guard helicopter is heard overhead.
The suspects flee in a car and hit a school bus full of high school students. Then they flee on foot. Ambulances arrive to whisk injured students to the hospital.
Another vehicle speeds through the county at up to 60 miles per hour. Three passengers in the van jumped out at different locations and ran in various directions with officers in pursuit on foot with a helicopter overhead.
In a separate incident, a car fire was reported and firefighters responded in frigid temps.
The suspects flee in a car and hit a school bus full of high school students. Then they flee on foot. Ambulances arrive to whisk injured students to the hospital.
Another vehicle speeds through the county at up to 60 miles per hour. Three passengers in the van jumped out at different locations and ran in various directions with officers in pursuit on foot with a helicopter overhead.
In a separate incident, a car fire was reported and firefighters responded in frigid temps.
That’s what happened – or at least was practiced in a mass casualties drill – Jan. 21 when two dozen sheriff’s deputies, Garrison-Max Ambulance, Garrison firemen, CommonSpirit (formerly CHI-Garrison) Hospital came together. Dozens of vehicles, three helicopters and nearly 100 people took part in the emergency training in -9 degree temps.
Setting the stage
The halls of Garrison High School were filled with deputies Jan. 21 in anticipation of what was to come.
About 15 students were brought into a room where they were given instructions and tags were attached to their clothing indicating their level of injury. They were to act out specific injuries and had fake bruises and wounds placed about their bodies. There were two casualties among them: Principle Steven Dangel and Cade Majeres.
The First Responders in McLean County milled around, waiting for their instruction for the four-hour Mass Casualties Drill to begin. This is the first of its kind in the state.
“We really haven’t had an opportunity to do a real live scenario situation training with some of the EMS and fire,” said Yancy DeMoe with the North Dakota National Guard, “so it was a really good opportunity to work with our local partners.”
The halls of Garrison High School were filled with deputies Jan. 21 in anticipation of what was to come.
About 15 students were brought into a room where they were given instructions and tags were attached to their clothing indicating their level of injury. They were to act out specific injuries and had fake bruises and wounds placed about their bodies. There were two casualties among them: Principle Steven Dangel and Cade Majeres.
The First Responders in McLean County milled around, waiting for their instruction for the four-hour Mass Casualties Drill to begin. This is the first of its kind in the state.
“We really haven’t had an opportunity to do a real live scenario situation training with some of the EMS and fire,” said Yancy DeMoe with the North Dakota National Guard, “so it was a really good opportunity to work with our local partners.”
