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UPDATED BY MARIA SIEVERDING MAY 12, 2016 1 P.M.

Southeastern Career Center students exposed to various jobs in mock disaster

Southeastern Career Center students got an up close look at what their future jobs might hold. Fire, criminal justice, health services and digital media students were exposed to a mock drill May 3 in which they could exercise skills they have learned throughout the year. It was the second time local first responders, from fire and rescue to police and health care, put on an exercise at SCC in Versailles. Both morning and afternoon students were able to experience it.

Career Center mock disaster

MARY MATTINGLY PHOTO
Lacey Stephens of South Ripley gets hosed off by the firefighters at the career center’s mock disaster drill last week.

Students put what they learned in the classroom into action. The 80 or so students also learned how to work with public safety responders under the Incident Command System, the national standard for all responders. The role of the assisting emergency responder professionals was to act as mentors and teach students to complete their assigned tasks in the mock disaster.

The scenario for the day was a simulation of a school bus collision with a pickup truck that was towing an anhydrous ammonia tank. The tank is leaking, and contaminating the bus passengers, bus driver and pickup driver. The pickup truck driver was intoxicated, thus causing the accident. Fire students used fire suppression techniques to contain and control the spill. Despite the rain and cool May temperatures, the contaminated students were hosed off to remove the dangerous chemical. Law enforcement students were required to control the scene and protect and investigate the accident. Health service students triage and treated victims of the scene, and digital media students took photos. The students were also well-versed in who can talk to the media, and what they can answer. One student acted as a “crazy parent” at the scene and had to be controlled. Tony Stoll, law enforcement career center instructor, said they wanted to put the whole school into play so they could also consider an emergency evacuation plan.

There were several agencies involved in the mock disaster: Versailles and Osgood fire departments, Milan, Jac-Cen-Del and South Ripley school resource officers, Rescue 69 and Ripley County EMS, Indiana Conservation officers, Osgood police, local EMA, homeland security. The exercise also provided Ripley County EMA to exercise emergency responding skills.

Local Bulletin Board

Deadline: June 10
Entries for farm award
Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Farm Bureau welcome nominations for the 2016 John Arnold Award for Rural Preservation. The award recognizes the preservation and continued agricultural use of historic farm buildings in Indiana. Anyone, including farm owners, can submit a nomination for the Arnold Award. Read rules and more details on page 2 of the Osgood Journal dated May 3.