The area's emergency response community is holding its annual disaster drill Saturday, Sept. 13, on campus. The drill will simulate an unexpected, life-threatening incident that requires fast analysis of the danger, care and rescue of multiple casualties and protection of the rescuers from the danger.
The drill, termed a "full-scale field exercise," will involve Tompkins County and city of Ithaca first responders, Cornell University health, safety and news service personnel, Ithaca College, local ambulance services, the Tompkins County Health Department, Cayuga Medical Center and the American Red Cross. Other governmental, not-for-profit and volunteer agencies may also be called into action.
The scenario for this year's exercise is a mock animal show at Cornell's Livestock Pavilion on Judd Falls Road, with a sizable audience in attendance. The drill will take place Saturday morning in real time, with whatever weather conditions or road detours are present. During the period of the drill, response agencies will put on extra staff to handle real-life incidents and not compromise public safety.
The exercise planners have not revealed the nature of the mock disaster. "It will be something pretty nasty," is all that exercise director Brad Marzolf of Bangs Ambulance has said. Past drills have involved simulations of a high-rise fire and a smallpox outbreak.
Drill participants are divided into several groups: controllers, simulators, players and evaluators. The controllers know everything about the event, having invented the exercise -- in this case modeled on one held in Madison, Wisc. -- and plotted out its script. Simulators make the action seem real. They may pretend to be citizens calling into 911 or act as victims, worried family members, reporters or camera people -- whatever it takes to lend a feeling of reality to the incident. Players are the professionals who are being asked to meet the challenge. They will receive no details about the drill ahead of time. Evaluators observe actions during the drill and use rating systems to measure success.
A few of the participating agencies have had special training that may help them in responding appropriately. Event organizers have code words that signal a real versus a simulated need, in case a participant or observer needs help.
The exercise is intended to test response activities and coordination, activation of disaster plans, and just plain fast-thinking. "A main reason to hold a drill," said Marzolf, "is to find out what more you need to know and to train for." Post-event debriefings will help the players identify what went well and what could have been better, and written evaluations will provide a basis for follow-up.
The drill will start at 9 a.m. with a mock emergency call to 911 and continue until noon.
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