Like many other campus organizations, the University of Dayton Student Emergency Medical Service team is preparing for the coming academic year. As part of their annual, week-long training, they are conducting a full-scale preparedness exercise 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, in the parking lot of UD Arena.

Anyone in the area during this time should be aware the activity is part of a simulated mass casualty exercise, and not an actual emergency situation. The active part of the training exercise will happen between 9:30 a.m. and noon. There will be volunteers acting as victims, in make-up simulating minor to serious injuries, giving responders visual cues for triage and treatment. There also will be numerous emergency vehicles in the parking lot.

This drill will provide UD EMS members an opportunity to practice their response skills, communication and coordination plans, and identify areas for improvement.

"As a fully student run, volunteer EMS organization, we have the unique honor and opportunity to serve our peers at UD," said Sarah Nie '24, UD EMS chief and Emma Mitchell '24, UD EMS training officer. "This exercise culminates a week of intensive training and it is our hope it will help prepare our EMTs in the event of a multi-victim emergency, while focusing on triage, resource management and non-invasive treatment methods."

EMS coordinators from Premier Health's EMS Center of Excellence will provide educational support and evaluation, including UD EMS Director Greg Kohls, M.D. a 2004 UD graduate and current emergency medicine physician with Premier Health.

"I enjoy watching the students plan and participate in these exercises," Kohls said. "It is good for them to gain this kind of experience, along with the real world experience they get treating and transporting patients during the school year. It's a great way for them to gauge if they want to eventually pursue a career in the medical field."

The Dayton Metropolitan Medical Response System also will help facilitate the exercise. Dayton MMRS provides exercises for hospitals and public safety agencies throughout a 10-county area in west central Ohio.

"Working with the student-run University of Dayton EMS is always an exciting opportunity," said David Gerstner, MMRS coordinator. "UD students, who are trained as EMTs, provide outstanding care for patients in the UD community. Dayton MMRS has been proud to collaborate with UD EMS for many years, on efforts ranging from educational opportunities to exercises such as this one."

Representatives from each organization will be available for interviews at 9:15 a.m. after a group briefing or 1 p.m. at the conclusion of the exercise. For more information or interviews, contact Cara Zinski-Neace, UD executive director of news and communications, at 937-229-3257 or czinskineace1@udayton.edu.