We rolled up to the Dallas Fire Rescue Academy at 7 AM to get made up as victims of a tornado. There was supposed to be three of us (myself, Scoop amd M1lkm4n). M1lkm4n got jammed up and it ended up there just being two. There were other organizations present and about 40 volunteer victims in all. For the next two hours or so, we were all bloodied up with moulage, running blood and one of the instructors had a nifty blood-pumping artery contraption. Then it was time to take our places is a dark and freezing cold building to await for rescue. We heard the sirens signalling the start of the exercise then everyone began screaming. The guy with the pumping artery, he was laying on the front grass. I could hear him screaming way back in the building where I was laying. He was good but it wasn't his first disaster rodeo.
I don't know how long it took the searchers to find me, probably 20-30 minutes. By this time, I really was shivering from laying on a cold, concrete floor. So the searchers found me, gave me a quick assessment and tagged me as immediate. They elevated my feet, covered me with a blanket of some kind then left. It was another 15-20 minutes before the rescuers came back to haul me out. All the while, I was still laying in a cold, pitch black room. I was finally hauled out to the triage area. The triage area was somewhat chaotic but I got a full assessment and assigned transport priority.
After the exercise was over, we went into the classroom where the CERT instructor asked us questions about how long it took to get found, rescued, treated, etc. We then cleaned up and went on our way.
I have to thank Whisk E. Rebellion for sending a heads-up on the Dallas CERT needing volunteers. I don't know how he found out but we are grateful. We made some contacts with the Dallas Office of Emergency Management. They have our organization name, personal names and emails. We hope to be called for future simulations. This one was kind of short notice so we weren't able to mount a big turnout. We hope the next time we will get a longer advanced notice so we can post it on the forum and the Chapter 19 FB page.
And now, the required photographic proof:
Scoop being made up as a smoke/chemical inhalation victim.
Me getting a nice gash.
Impaled object on another victim.
Building at the Dallas Fire Rescue Academy where this mock disaster was staged.
Inside of the second floor. Looks like zombies have already been here.
Scoop standing in the doorway. Shows how dark it was in there.
Room way in the back of the building where I was. And it was pitch black in there.
Triage Area outside.
