Colo. Responders Hope Tornado Drill Pays Dividends

Nov. 23--On Saturday afternoon, an imaginary tornado plowed through the Erie Police Department, leaving a 10-year-old boy with a fake severed ear, a woman pretending to be a disoriented diabetic with a fake broken ring finger, and one man with a fake stomach ailment that would later induce fake full-blown unconsciousness.

As it turns out, live action role playing can be an invaluable device in training regular citizens -- the literal first responders, in most situations -- to capably handle a disaster scene until police, firefighters or paramedics arrive to take over. Now, thanks in part to the fake victims who volunteered their weekends to pretend to be injured, about two dozen more Erie residents are officially certified in basic first response.

"This type of training is very important, in any type of emergency," Erie Police Chief Marco Vasquez said after Saturday's session. "It helps the community better prepare to be able to deal with it, and it also gives us a ready-trained force that we can use. It's a force multiplier, for us to bring citizens together who've been trained, and can assist us in an emergency."

Sixteen-year-old Toni Buckley, one of Saturday's trainees, said the experience of applying gauze to a fake impaled eyeball didn't necessarily give her the confidence to respond to the real deal -- but at least she's got some sense now, as opposed to previously.

"I don't know that I'd be completely prepared, but definitely more than I was," she said. "In situations where someone is hurt, it's nice to see that you can help."

Erie's Sharon Fullner, who also participated in the citizens' academy, said the experience of treating a victim with a fake breathing problem was empowering.

"I feel stronger to be able to help my community, which is awesome," Fullner said. "Going through this now is definitely going to help later, if you do come across somebody who's not breathing. It's kind of a crazy thing to walk up on, the first time."

Michael Rappe, the Denver police officer brought in to run the training, reminded the participants that a victim's chances of survival can be hugely improved by an initial response from someone with only casual knowledge of first aid.

"There's only so many professional responders, so in a major emergency or a major disaster, they could be tied up," Rappe said. "Even when you're waiting for them to come, whatever you can do matters.

"Someone can bleed to death in 46 minutes. The simple act of applying direct pressure, or knowing to tell them to apply direct pressure, can actually save a life."

Elijah Bristol, the aforementioned 10-year-old who was directed to pretend his ear had been hacked off by flying debris, said he tried his best to act naturally, both for personal amusement and for the benefit of the citizen responders in training.

"When they came over, I had this limb bleeding and they made me put a pad on it to soak up the blood. Same with my ear," he said. "And they found the ear, luckily. When I saw my ear, what I did was faint. I think I would do what I did today if it actually happened."

Added Bristol: "I hope it doesn't."

Alex Burness: 303-473-1389, burnessa@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/alex_burness

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