University Prepares for Potential Disaster

Student medical officers train for major emergency

By Natalia Pavlina
The Santa Clara

Trained members of Santa Clara’s Emergency Medical Services rushed freshman Alyna Merall out of O’Connor Hall last Sunday from a hypothetical plane crash in a dramatic moment from the Mass Casualty Drill last Sunday.

Following last week’s bombings in Boston SCU EMS responded to a mock plane crash with student volunteers as injured victims in the Mass Casualty Incident Drill, organized so that the school’s first responders could practice reacting quickly and effectively in the event of a dangerous situation on campus.

Held annually each spring quarter, the drill allows the Emergency Medical Service to practice their training involving incidents with multiple patients. In the past, the organization has enacted scenarios such as bombings, shootings and natural disasters.

Despite all the hype around the recent bombings, the focus of the Mass Casualty Incident Drill was not altered in regards to these events. The intention of the annual drill is to ensure that the school’s EMS is prepared for an incident like the one in Boston, so the squad will have trained for such an event regardless of the explosions.

Contact Natalia Pavlina at npavlina@scu.edu or call (408)554-4852.