GADSDEN, AL — Screams and sirens echoed across Gadsden State Community College’s Wallace Drive Campus, but the chaos was all part of a meticulously planned disaster drill. The college’s Health Sciences Division hosted a large-scale mass casualty simulation, transforming the areas around Helderman and Bevill halls into a realistic scene of destruction meant to prepare students for real-world emergency response.
The scenario—a simulated tornado strike on a rural neighborhood—involved more than 100 students from the Nursing, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Radiography, and Medical Laboratory Technician programs. The mock disaster featured multiple casualties, including a critically injured man trapped under debris, a woman pinned inside a vehicle, and two victims who were declared dead at the scene.
“This was a group effort,” said Dr. Joey Battles, dean of Health Sciences. “The committee delivered the vision. I don’t know if people realize the depth of planning involved in this. Our committee just wants what’s best for the students. They are our main priority.”
The simulation was led by John Hollingsworth, director of Gadsden State’s EMS Program, and Dr. Evelyn Lightsey, the college’s simulations coordinator. More than a dozen emergency response agencies and over 200 volunteers joined in to bring authenticity to the drill.
Designed to simulate the chaos of a real mass emergency, the event provided students with the opportunity to apply their skills under pressure, practice interprofessional teamwork, and make critical decisions in real time.
“We want to help students understand how to work collaboratively together,” said Battles. “We call it ‘interprofessional education,’ and it’s so important. We wanted to give them experience in real-life situations working together with the newest and best equipment available. Once you do something one time, the next time it’s easier.”
Nursing student Kristina O’Neal participated as a trauma nurse during the drill and said the experience was both intense and educational.
“Triage in itself is a pretty intense situation — emotionally and physically,” she said. “The EMS team did an amazing job. It’s kind of hard in mass casualties to silence the noise and keep your brain focused. The EMS team did that perfectly.”
O’Neal, who currently works in an emergency room, said the simulation bridged a gap between hospital care and field operations.
“Actually seeing how it’s done out in the field will help me in the ER if a mass casualty ever happens and a lot of patients come in at once,” she added.
In addition to sharpening clinical and communication skills, students were given space to make mistakes in a controlled environment—an important aspect of experiential learning.
“Simulations like these are essential,” Battles emphasized. “They give our students the opportunity to build confidence, strengthen their teamwork and understand what it’s really like to respond when every second counts.”
Gadsden State plans to continue offering the simulation biannually to ensure students are equipped with the hands-on training and readiness needed for careers in emergency and healthcare settings.
To learn more about healthcare programs at Gadsden State, visit www.GadsdenState.edu/HealthSciences.
