Disaster preparedness
Disaster preparedness
Drill tests emergency service readiness
By STU MERRY
It was only a drill, but for those who participated in Tuesday afternoon’s mock disaster, it was real, and done in real time.
Emergency services combined to take part in a simulated disaster drill at the Garrison Airport. The scenario simulated a field trip by Garrison FFA students who visited Stoddard Flying Service to view an aerial spraying demonstration. During the demonstration, a mishap occurred causing multiple injuries and contamination of the area by a chemical, paraquat, which is a herbicide.
Simulated injuries included being hit by flying debris, being sprayed with chemicals and hit by a wheel off an airplane. There were also mock “fatalities.”
“Victims” were scattered around the accident site, the tarmac at the airport. Along with “injuries” to students, residents who live near the airport were also affected as they “came to find out what happened.”
The drill tested the response of local emergency services to see how each would handle the situation.
