The annual Disaster Simulation Day at Georgia Highland College aims to educate nursing students on the pre-hospital response procedures carried out by public safety and first responders during emergencies. Students were divided into two groups and received training from campus police on the "Avoid, Deny, Defend" strategy. They participated in a simulated active shooter event and practiced triage and treatment for victims with injuries ranging from minimal to life-threatening.
Following this, students engaged in the MCI Multiverse, a tabletop exercise developed by Region 5 Trauma. They then attended sessions led by Fire/EMS, Law Enforcement, and Hospital personnel, focusing on Level II and Level III Trauma capabilities. This experience provided nursing students with valuable insights into the dynamic and collaborative relationships among various agencies, highlighting the importance of trust and teamwork during mass casualty responses. It also helped them begin to forge connections with the community they will serve.
This event was made possible through the involvement of Floyd County Emergency Management, Rome Fire, Atrium Health Floyd Trauma, Atrium Health Floyd EMS, AdventHealth Redmond Trauma, AdventHealth Redmond EMS, Floyd County Bomb Squad, Floyd County SWAT, Floyd County Police Department, EMS Region 1, Region 1 Trauma, GPSTC Rome, and Region C Healthcare Coalition.