Mass casualty exercise planned at Metro Tech

Mass casualty exercise planned at Metro Tech
Education, Law Enforcement and First Responder agencies partner on active shooter drill

OKLAHOMA CITY – Metro Technology Centers, Oklahoma City Police and Fire Departments and EMSA are a few of the entities coming together to put valuable life-saving skills into practice during a mass casualty exercise. The drill is scheduled for Thursday, March 10, from 9:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Metro Tech’s Springlake Campus, 1900 Springlake Dr., Oklahoma City.

The exercise will replicate an active shooter situation with students from Metro Tech’s health, law enforcement and firefighter programs. Community agencies and first responders will work together to practice their knowledge, skills and competencies.

“We’re excited to have our external community partners back this year,” said Josie Scott, Metro Tech’s Health Simulation Lab Coordinator. “Metro Tech students are not the only ones learning during this event; our community partners use it as a training tool also. It’s a great experience for everyone involved.”

Metro Tech’s Health Careers Center will convert to a mock hospital while the area around the center will become the casualty site. Metro Tech and Francis Tuttle students and community agency personnel will volunteer to practice roles as victims, medical support, security and first responders.

Each year, the exercise expands to include local agencies such as Oklahoma City Fire Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), Medical Emergency Response Center (MERC)/Regional Medical Response System (RMRS), Oklahoma Homeland Security, Army National Guard, Airforce personnel, Francis Tuttle Technology Center and Tri-Corp Security. Metro Tech’s own Emergency Medical Response Team will also participate.  

EMSA paramedic students will transport casualties from the active scene to the emergency room run by students in the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program. Advanced Unlicensed Assistants (AUA) nursing students will assist in the emergency room and medical and surgical units. 

Metro Tech’s Public Safety Academy students will assist at the casualty site. Pre-Law Enforcement students will work with the Oklahoma City Police Department while the Fire Safety Academy students assist the Oklahoma City Fire Department. Metro Tech’s new Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program will work with EMSA staff and Paramedic students.

Pre-Nursing students will transport patients to X-ray, where they will be met by students in Radiologic Technology. Others will be transported to the operating room where they will be met by Surgical Technology students. The Medical Office students will assist in the admissions process of patients and as administrative assistants in the ER. The Medical Assistant and Vision Care students will have their “clinics” open to see patients as well. The Digital Cinema students will film the event.

Metro Tech began Hospital Day in 2008 as an opportunity for health career students to practice their skills in the event of an emergency. The Mass Casualty exercise was added in 2015 to provide additional training to first responders due to the increase in disasters from shootings and severe weather.

“This community collaboration and partnership enables our students to navigate and experience a mass casualty situation and gives our area law enforcement and first responders additional training hours as well,” said Aaron Collins, Metro Tech Superintendent. “Our goal is to ensure our students are trained and qualified to work in real-life situations and settings. The more practice they can have with professionals in their given fields, the more prepared they will be upon graduation.”

Metro Tech officials will send out reminders about the upcoming exercise to ensure the public is aware of the event and not alarmed by emergency vehicles and activity. The public is asked to keep their distance from the Springlake campus during the time of exercise.

About Metro Technology Centers
One of the largest and most diverse technology centers in Oklahoma, Metro Tech has four campuses offering short-term, career and customized business training. Campuses are located in South Oklahoma City, Northeast Oklahoma City, the Will Rogers Airport and Downtown Oklahoma City.