"Help me! Help me!"

multiple gunshot wounds

Last Fall in anticipation of starting a new job I renewed my CPR/BLS licenses through UEMTC downtown – evidently I was still on their mailing list because earlier this month I got an email from them. They needed volunteers for their mock emergency drill that they were going to be hosting. It sounded like fun so I volunteered and put myself on the schedule for three days. The drill was staged in the Megaplex Movie Theater in The District in South Jordan – it was fun! The first day I was an amputee, the second day I had head trauma from falling 20 feet onto an unyielding object. And the third day I had multiple gunshot wounds to the right thigh. Our instructions were clear – yell, cause as much chaos as possible, be uncooperative and above all else, no one walks out of here under their own power.

It was very strange putting myself in the patients shoes because I'm so used to being the one who has to be calm, get things done and help that being on the receiving end was weird. It was good though because it reminded me what patients go through – complete and utter helplessness. Not gonna lie though - seeing a cop come through the smoke with his gun drawn was not the most reassuring - that was actually quite scary.

The first day I was tagged red (immediate care required) - they wrapped up my amputation, covered me in a space blanket (I was quite cold) and we waited for the ambulance. It was the weirdest feeling in the world to be physically moved from the theater seats where I was to being placed in this canvas stretcher and carried out. I so just wanted to get up and walk out myself but they'd said not to do that - so instead I pretended to be uncooperative and gave random answers. Because you can't predict human behavior and they wanted to make it as real as possible they told us to go ahead and act out, be uncooperative and if we could make one of the paramedics or firefighters cry they'd give us twenty dollars (several tried). Eventually I was loaded into an ambulance and we drove around the block before coming back "healed."

     Red Tags - (immediate) are used to label those who cannot survive without immediate treatment but who have a chance of survival

     Yellow Tags - (observation) for those who require observation (and possible later re-triage), their condition is stable for the moment and, they are not in immediate danger of death; these victims will still need hospital care and would be treated immediately under normal circumstances

    Green Tags - (wait) are reserved for the "walking wounded" who will need medical care at some point, after more critical injuries have been treated

    White Tags - (dismiss) are given to those with minor injuries for whom a doctor's care is not required

     Black Tags - (expectant) are used for the deceased and for those whose injuries are so extensive that they will not be able to survive given the care that is available

The second day with my head trauma they originally tagged me black (dead or close to it), part of my scenario said I was unconscious and unresponsive, they later retagged me red. After carrying me out to the lobby and putting a space blanket over me I quietly waited. They loaded me onto a wheeled stretcher and prepared to take me outside, when we reached the doors is when I decided to wake up. I started causing all kinds of trouble, fighting my restraints and trying to get out - definitely took the paramedics by surprise. It took them a couple of seconds to find the upper chest straps and get me secure once more - so not fair. They chuckled when I said that. We were trying to be serious but at the same time it was all in fun. They'd done mock disasters before but this was their first time using live victims. In any case though, they loaded us up into the van and took us to IHC - as we got out of the van told the guy our name, number and casualty we were "healed" (the guy decided I'd died mid transport because no one had treated my injury) and then they took us back to the theater.

The third day I had multiple gun shot wounds to the right thigh, they'd asked if they could cut holes in my pants and I said it was okay - aside from being shot, my scenario said I was conscious and aware. Originally I was tagged red but was later downgraded to yellow (stable). I kept calling out for help but because there were cases more serious than mine, it took a while before I was helped - I never realized how frustrating that can be for a patient. They got me out to the lobby and treated my wounds and told me to hang tight. They were keeping an eye on me to make sure my condition didn't worsen, I was one of the last to be evacuated. I kept asking for tylenol but they said that they didn't have any and it wouldn't help anyway, so I asked for morphine instead - they said no. I was eventually loaded into an ambulance and they drove us around the block. It was very educational and I had a lot of fun.

Several news stations covered the emergency drill

1st Responders Hold Mass Shooting Drill

"Help me! Help me!"

Emergency Crews Stage Mass Shooting

Smoke, screams fill Theater

Utah Fire Agencies Perform Emergency Drill

* at 0:57 you can see my body left center - the reporter was a classmates dad at BYU-I