Junior high handles bloodbath
Students simulate plane crash during first-aid training at Thomas Simpson Secondary School
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 30, 2017
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The sight of blood will never make anyone from Thomas Simpson Secondary School's junior high classes queasy again.
Charlene Brown, left, is treated for multiple lacerations by Shaznay Waugh, top, while on-scene commander SaNaeah Allen keeps up the morale. - photos courtesy of Steve Nicoll
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After a month of first-aid preparation, students from Grade 7 to 9 have spent the past few weeks taking part in hands-on training.
On March 16, a simulated mass-casualty event hit the high school. Students were given the task of responding to a plane that had a hard landing in Fort Simpson - or being one of the victims injured during landing.
As one student put it, there was blood - and lots of it. At least, of the fake variety.
"Everybody was screaming," said Elizabeth Meesters, who simulated having a dislocated shoulder and an open fracture in her leg.
Students took to their roles with vigour, simulating different injuries and yelling for help. Students who played the roles of first responders were given the task of providing emergency medical treatment.
Teacher Steve Nicoll said one of the major tasks students had to carry out was rescue carries - that is, getting victims away from the scene.
"By making it as realistic as possible, the students are better prepared if something does happen," he explained.
First-aid success varied depending on the class. In Meesters' Grade 9 class, there was only one death - classmate Ava Erasmus, who played the part of someone whose foot had been cut off, did not receive proper aid in time.
Nicoll was joined by fire department member and teacher Caitlin Blyth for the first aid unit. Blyth also took on scenarios for the Grade 7 class.
Nicoll said while the school has run first aid training in the past, this is the first time students have had access to prosthetics.
SaNaeah Allen took on the role of the on-scene commander during the mass-casualty scenario.
Carrying a clipboard, he was responsible for surveying the scene and determining who would get treatment first based on the severity of their injuries.
"I had to watch to see if the responders were doing their jobs right, and if there were people sitting around I would assign them tasks," he said.
Firefighters join in the training
As a member of Fort Simpson's volunteer fire department, Nicoll said he planned a surprise training exercise for firefighters based on the training the students had received with the help of Blyth.
On March 22, during the department's regular biweekly training session, Nicoll arranged to have two calls firefighters had to respond to. That included Meesters, who pretended her finger was cut off, and Mike Athey, who had been scalded by spaghetti.
"The fire department had no clue. It was a secret," Nicoll said with a laugh.
The movie make-up used to simulate the injuries was so realistic some of the firefighters thought it was real at first, he added.
Meesters, who volunteered for that event, said it was a learning experience for her as well even though she played the part of a victim.
"As a victim, you also learn if they're treating you correctly," she said.
