Metro Tech Students Train With First Responders In Mass Shooting Scenario

First responders converged at Metro Technology Centers in Oklahoma City on Thursday and worked side-by-side with students to teach them how to respond when there's a mass casualty event.

The exercise took place at the school's Springlake campus and featured about 53 actors playing the roles of gunmen and victims. In the mock scenario, several gunmen opened fire inside one of the buildings, prompting campus security to take them down. Metro Tech Public Safety Academy Students then went from room to room to clear the building while assisting gunshot victims. They also handcuffed the injured gunmen.

The Public Safety Academy students brought the gunshot victims outside the building for triage before loading them into waiting ambulances, which took the victims to another building that served as a hospital. Once the victims were brought in, Metro Tech health care students treated their wounds.

During the scenario, the students worked with Oklahoma City police officers, firefighters, Emergency Medical Services Authority personnel, Oklahoma Homeland Security personnel, National Guardsmen, and other professionals. To make the experience more authentic, Oklahoma City's mobile command post oversaw the operation while several fire trucks were stationed on scene.

The Oklahoma National Guard had also intended to land a helicopter. But due to Thursday's poor weather, the plan had to be nixed.

As the training scenario played out, actors screamed in pain while displaying realistic wounds, which were created by Metro Tech's cosmetology students.

"I hope and pray that our students never have to work a mass casualty event," said Metro Tech Safety Instructor Coordinator Cody McPherson. "However, we're going to know that our students are going to know some of the chaos that's with that."

Even with the chaos, students said they appreciated the experience.

"It was a little bit stressful, to be honest. However, I do feel like that was good to train us. It was very authentic," said Public Safety Academy student Joshua Twyman. "We tried not to panic the best we can. I think we did really well. I really enjoyed it."

"It was a lot of rush, especially in the head since all the yelling, everyone screaming that they need help," added Public Safety Academy student Evelin Lopez.

Amid the screams, the students also had to juggle between treating gunshot victims and regular patients.

"We have one that's coming in from a burn from a cooking accident. We have a cardiac arrest coming in," said McPherson.

The mass casualty exercise lasted for several hours. Public Safety Academy student Osvaldo Maldonado said the scenario really tested his training.

"You just got to block it out, maintain focus on what you're doing, prioritize that and tell them, 'Everything's going to be fine,'" Maldonado said.