Training Scenario: Shooting at the Aviva 02/10/2017

The Monday 02/10/2017 started out like any other typical Monday training session. Everyone was chatting and listening as Cadet Superintendent Karen Egan and Adult Corporal Colin Egan ran through the usual lectures on bandaging techniques and burn care when suddenly we hear shouts and screams from the lower corridor. Naturally we all race from the room. There must of been twelve of us. we found Cadet Officer Aoife Duffy standing at the entrance to the hall with three kit bags and a scenario for us….

“A mass shooting had just happened outside the Aviva Stadium and you and your team are the first responders on scene.”

Unknown to us, tonight was to be a test of our skills and our reaction to the above situation. It was felt that the adults needed a proper test to help discover where the weaknesses of the division lie. Six ranking Foxrock adult members would be the casualties as well as having three markers to examine us while treating and question our decision making. They wanted to see theory behind the practice and add a sense of realism.

we quickly organised ourselves into pairs of 2-3 and our highest ranking member on site was designated clinical co-ordinator and were in charge of the patient list of priorities. We quickly triaged the room discovering 3 reds, 2 yellows and a green. The patients were all treated to the best standard that we could provide with the knowledge and skills that we had available while our clinical lead Hannah Bristow organized their transport and managed the situation as it unfolded. Some of the injuries encountered were a gunshot wound to the abdominal with haemorrhaging, stroke and heart attack but to name a few.

The exercise overall was a huge success, Everyone took something out of the training and the surprise factor only added to the realism of the whole event. Constructive feedback was given so that we could learn from our mistakes and improve for future events. Hopefully the mistakes made will not be made for a second time…