Metro Tech Plans for Mass Casualty Exercise Alongside Local First Responder Units

Oklahoma City – Metro Technology Centers will be coordinating its annual Mass Casualty Exercise on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at 8 a.m. on the Springlake Campus at 1900 Springlake Dr. in partnership with various community agencies, including first responder units, military personnel, and more.

For the past eight years, the Mass Casualty Exercise at Metro Tech has been coordinated in an expanding partnership with various local entities such as the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD), Oklahoma City Fire Department (OCFD), Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), Medical Emergency Response Center (MERC), Regional Medical Response System (RMRS), Oklahoma Homeland Security, Tri-Corp Security, Army National Guard, local Air Force personnel, and other Metro-area CareerTech Centers.

The goal of the event is to provide mass casualty scenario training for Metro Tech students within the Public Safety Academy (PSA) and Healthcare Career programs and allow students to work alongside local first responder agencies to practice and improve their knowledge, skills and competencies.

The exercise will replicate an active shooter scenario where approximately 53 subjects, played by various volunteers from Metro Tech, partnering agencies, and institutions will be deceased or injured around the area, including the shooters, who will be played specifically by members of the military personnel.

The decision to make the shooters a part of the injured will give Metro Tech Law Enforcement Officer Prep cadets the opportunity to learn from OCPD Officers how law enforcement handles similar situations with injured suspects.

“The ability to work one-on-one with the Law Enforcement Officer cadets at Metro Tech through this event is a valuable opportunity both for the students and those of us who currently work in law enforcement,” Captain Fredrickson said.

“We want to help make this scenario as realistic as possible to ensure that the cadets are well-prepared in case they are ever faced with a similar event.”

The Metro Tech Health Careers Center (HCC) will act as the emergency room and hospital, while the area around the Center will become the casualty site with deceased and injured. HCC Lab Simulation and Skills Coordinator, Josie Scott, has coordinated the event since 2008 and says the Mass Casualty Exercise serves as an excellent training opportunity for students and partnering first responder units alike.

“Mass casualty preparedness is a necessary part of training for first responders and healthcare workers,” Scott said.

“We are very fortunate to be able to provide this type of training to our students alongside local first responders to help us have a better understanding of how we all work together to protect and serve our community.”

To prepare the scene’s victims, Cosmetology students will practice their Special FX makeup skills by adding visibly realistic wounds and injuries to the subjects.

Digital Cinema students will also participate by capturing their own photos and videography.

Metro Tech Public Safety Academy students will assist and shadow at the casualty site. Law Enforcement Officer Preparation students will work with members of the Oklahoma City Police Department while Basic Firefighter students will work with members of the Oklahoma City Fire Department.

EMSA units will transport the deceased and injured from the scene to the emergency room operated by students of the Licensed Practical Nursing program.

Pre-Nursing students will transport patients from the ER to X-Ray with students of the Radiologic Technology program or to the operating room with Surgical Technology students. Medical Office Technology students will assist in the admissions process of patients and act as administrative assistants in the ER.

Medical Assistants and Eye Care Technology students will have their clinics open to see patients as well, and more than 22 patients played by other volunteers will act separately as clinic walk-ins.

Military agencies, including the Oklahoma Army National Guard and U.S. Air Force, will contribute by providing experienced medical triage personnel to work alongside Healthcare Careers students within the hospital and ER and will also act as injured subjects at the scene. In addition, The Oklahoma National Guard will be landing a helicopter in the field north of the site.

New to the event this year are members of First Responder Stress and Trauma (F1RST). They will provide a support and resilience team at the scene and deliver a debrief of the event while discussing the impact a mass casualty event can have on the mental health of first responders.

Metro Tech Superintendent, Aaron Collins, believes the planning, preparation, and completion of this event is a vital experience for the district’s students, officials and local agencies.

“This collaborative effort allows our students to train in a realistic setting while also granting additional training hours to local police, fire and EMSA personnel,” Superintendent Collins said.

“With a scenario like this one becoming more prevalent in our society, it is our goal to ensure our students are competent and confident in their abilities so they are well prepared for their field once they graduate from Metro Tech. Offering this type of hands-on training provides valuable insight and experience for our future professionals.”

In a press release sent to CapitolBeatOK.com, Metro Tech officials plan to send out reminders about the upcoming exercise to ensure the public is aware of the event and not alarmed by the presence of emergency vehicles and activity.

Note: The public is asked to keep their distance from the Springlake campus during the time of exercise.

Note: Described in promotional literature as “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.