Three Rivers to Hold Mass Casualty Training
Three Rivers College will hold its bi-annual mass casualty training event on Tuesday, May 5. The training helps prepare students in participating programs be prepared for a mass casualty emergency such as a natural disaster or terrorist attack, and tests the college’s emergency response plans. The training event will be held at the college’s Nursing and Allied Health building on Pine Street in Poplar Bluff.
Students from several fields of study will participate in the training, including three classes of nursing students, EMT students, and Paramedic students. The training will also receive support from Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Black River Medical Center, local ambulance services, law enforcement agencies, and fire departments.
The training will have extensive participation from local first responders, according to Paulette Alexander, Interim Department Chair of Nursing and Allied Health at Three Rivers. The Poplar Bluff Police Department, the Butler County Fire Protection District, the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, and Air Evac Lifeteam will be among the local participants.
In keeping with the training’s focus on realism, the students themselves will coordinate much of the event, with students serving in leadership and command/control positions. The college is also keeping the type of “disaster” under wraps, so that students have no chance to prepare beforehand.
Local news outlets are invited to attend, but will be treated according to crisis procedures while the training is active. Participating students and staff will not answer questions until the training is over, and reporters are asked not to disrupt the training while it is in progress. Reporters wishing to cover the event should contact Three Rivers Media Services at 573-840-9739 or email jatwood@trcc.edu beforehand.