Mock disaster in Gander gives paramedics experience treating mass casualities

Burns and broken bones from a simulated school bus fire gave first responders in Gander a chance to put their skills to the test this week.

The mock disaster exercise was held Thursday on the runway of the town's international airport.

One reason for the training exercise was to give paramedics experience dealing with crisis scenarios.

Sherry Freake, Chief Operating Officer at the hospital in Gander, said nurses used to be the main medical personnel to respond to those kind of events, but now it is mostly handled by paramedics and other first responders.

With paramedics taking on that bigger role, Freake said it's necessary to give them some hands on experience.

"Today was the first opportunity for our primary care paramedics to go out and use the skills that they use everyday to actually triage in a disaster exercise," she said.

Some of the casualties were played by students in the paramedic program at Keyin College in Grand Falls-Windsor.

Lead instructor Todd Porter says it's valuable experience in mass casualty management.

"These are the things they are going to be involved with when they become paramedics," he said.

"When they see the simulation and they see the injuries and see how the real paramedics handle it they might gain a little bit of experience so they can take that with them as paramedics in the province."