LOWVILLE, New York (WWNY) – Three days of learning and shadowing at Lewis County Health System ended Wednesday with a mass casualty training exercise.
Students attending the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization’s M.A.S.H. Camp were able to visit the hospital and explore all different facets of the healthcare industry. From the emergency room and surgical floor, to physical and occupational therapy.
M.A.S.H. stands for Medical Academy of Sciences and Health.
In partnership with the hospital and Lewis County Search and Rescue, the three-day camp ended with a mass casualty exercise.
Volunteers acted as “patients” injured during a natural gas explosion. The exercise allowed students to go through the triage process and understand patient priority levels.
“They have to make decisions on the status of the patients. It teaches them how to make those decisions on the fly, and also how to think outside the box,” said Beth Solar, the Workforce Outreach Manager at Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization.
“They get to have this hands-on, real-life, high stress, high adrenaline experience. That’s our main goal, is to provide that wonderful experience for them. But secondarily, we’re also preparing ourselves for emergencies,” said Bobbi Kahl, Director of Emergency Preparedness and Security at Lewis County Health System.
M.A.S.H. Camp is held during February break and summers. To learn more about it, students can reach out to their guidance counselors or visit the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization’s website.
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