Emergency Training at CWC helped law enforcement and hospital employees prepare for disaster situations

FREMONT COUNTY, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) -

The emergency training exercise at Central Wyoming College in Riverton commenced snow or shine, with participants traveling as far as Jackson to be involved. It was held on April 16, 2021.

Law enforcement, healthcare personnel, and college students alike, shared how this training was a benefit to them and also the people they serve and protect every day.

Jordan Johnson, a nursing student at CWC stated, “This exercise was really a way that we brought everything that we have learned from the last two years, and you don’t get that in the hospital, you’re not going to get that anywhere else. This simulation has created such an amazing experience and I feel so much more prepared if an actual disaster were to happen.”

Mariah Childs, a CWC Jackson nursing student expressed why it was important for her to be there despite the snowstorm yesterday. “Because this is such an involved event, we’re not going to be able to practice this very often, so we wanted to take advantage of that opportunity, but the roads were slick,” described Childs.

Johnson explained that as part of her training, there was a patient who lost a limb and she had to prioritize other patients in that active shooter scenario.

“I think it really brought in the realism aspect, there are going to be people in your nursing career, not exactly in an emergency disaster like this, where you’re not going to be able to save them. You’re going to do everything you can, and at the end of the day you just have to go home and know that you did the best that you could,” said Johnson.

However the active shooter disaster drill didn’t only apply to nursing students, staff in the health care field simulated the training from the hospital.

Nicci Urbigkit, Patient Safety Officer at Sagewest Hospital stated, “Takeaway is making sure that we’re prepared and continually doing these drills that way when something really terrible does happen, we’re ready. We’re ready to take care of the community, we’re ready to take the patients and can handle anything that comes in.”

Lillian Sundance Chandler, a criminal justice and pre-med student said the training helped further define her chosen future career. “Being in the scenarios and actually watching what was going on, gave me even more incentive that this is the path that I chose, and I believe that I chose the right one. For a second there I was worried that I chose the wrong one, but after today’s training, I’m happy that I’m on the path that I am,” emphasized Sundance Chandler.

Lander Police Department Interim Chief, Ron Wells stated, “These active shooter trainings are essential in law enforcement. I think it was a really good opportunity for multiple agencies to get a lot of training and to be able to work together.”

This is the third full scale exercise at Central Wyoming College and they plan to do it again next year.

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