Dead or moaning students were lying in pools of blood when Powell police, armed to the teeth, searched classrooms for “perps,” like NCIS agents on TV.

Don’t be alarmed. It was a mock exercise situated in Northwest’s College’s Nelson Performing Arts Center and the Science and Math Building on the evening of Aug. 10, staged to evaluate emergency response and college staff crisis management.

Four mock victims were “killed” and 19 “wounded” in the exercise.

Lauga Gauta, member of the NWC volleyball team from Anaheim, California, was lying near the entrance to Nelson. She “suffered” multiple stab wounds.

“Hellllppp,” Gauta called pathetically. “Somebody help me.”

Gauta, her college colleagues and the “suspects” all deserved Oscars for their performances. Meryl Streep would have been impressed.

Police passed her, promising assistance as soon as possible.

Although it is instinctual to help, officers must apprehend the bad guys before tending to the wounded for the safety of the students and themselves, said Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt.

“We can’t stop to render first aid until the killing stops,” he said.

Afterward, many of the drill participants said the drill was very realistic because the students were so convincing in their roles as victims, said Lee Blackmore, campus security coordinator. He wanted NWC staff to experience the sheer magnitude such an incident would entail and how to initiate a return to normalcy.

Aftermath

Powell Valley Hospital EMTs succored the wounded after buildings were secured.

Triage was performed initially in the buildings while police stood guard, and then outside so EMTs could communicate with Powell Hospital to determine the appropriate medical facility for transport, said Jessica Freire, Powell Hospital EMT.

Powell ambulances were dispatched, as well as ambulances from Cody and from Red Lodge, Montana, Freire said. Patients were transported to Powell Valley Hospital, and participants calculated the timeframe to rush the wounded to Cody and Lovell hospitals.

The primary issue during large-scale emergencies is communication between EMTs with other emergency responders and medical facilities, Freire said. EMTs must coordinate with responders employing different radio frequencies and cell phones.

The Moyer Building served as incident command.

Stefani Hicswa, college president, wanted to inform the students who might have been hiding in Nelson and Math and Science to assemble in the Cabre Building gym.

“Let’s do a Big Voice (public address system),” she said.

Students regrouping in the gym also were potential witnesses to the crimes, Eckerdt said.

Counselors were available for students, Hicswa said.

Four police volunteer chaplains also were there, Eckerdt said.

There was a website to inform concerned citizens, said Mark Kitchen, College Relations vice president.

Members of the staff planned a mock press conference in the Bridger parking lot.

At the press conference, Eckerdt would not reveal the number of victims, promising to release the count at a later date.

Was this a terrorist act? A hate crime? pressed a reporter.

“This is an ongoing investigation,” Eckerdt said. “What’s most important is the campus is secure.”

“Well, well done, everybody,” Hicswa said to her staff.

Evaluating for improvements

“We want to simulate as real a situation as possible,” Hicswa said at a briefing prior to the incident.

“I think it went well on a lot of levels,” Blackmore said afterward.

The drill was well executed and revealed areas that need improvement, Blackmore said.

Planning the drill took months and involved Blackmore, college staff, Powell police, Powell EMS, Powell Volunteer Fire Department, and Kirk and Linda Waggoner from Critical Incident Stress Management in Wyoming, Eckerdt said.

The drill team was substantial, Eckerdt said.

Park County Sheriff Deputy Andy MaGill, a school safety officer who evaluated the drill, asked for the materials Blackmore has outlining crisis management, as did other agencies, Blackmore said. Now, NWC leaders are preparing other outlines for a variety of potential emergency situations.

The exercise identified areas of concern and highlighted scenarios his officers have trained for in incident command exercises, Eckerdt said. “I was, overall, pleased with the responses.”

The drill was productive in noting the proper actions taken by emergency response personnel and by college staff, and in recognizing where improvements can be made, Blackmore said. “I think it was an incredible success.”

NWC’s drill was an effective exercise for emergency medical personnel to amend any glitches in communication, Freire said.

People living in a town like Powell may feel insulated from evil. Think again.

“If it can happen in Cokeville, Wyoming, there is no place that’s untouchable,” Eckerdt said.

In 1986, 136 children and 18 adults were taken hostage at Cokeville Elementary School. David Young shot and killed his wife, wounded a teacher and killed himself.

Per capita, crime is the same in Powell as a big city, Eckerdt said. One of the goals of the drill was to understand that it could happen in Powell.

Although a drill depicting acts of violence is anything but heartwarming, Eckerdt said he was reassured by the teamwork demonstrated by the participants.

Officer Cody Bradley hit the nail on the head while guarding a hallway and victim: “You just hope this kind of thing never happens.”