Video: Disaster Response Training for Lamar County, AL Students

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VERNON, Ala. (WCBI) – A disaster could strike at any time and being prepared is vital to saving lives. Some students in Lamar County are training for one of those emergency situations at the School of Technology.

When disaster strikes, knowing what to do can save lives and bring a community together.

“Today’s mock disaster is a culmination of the semester-long course they’ve been taking which is Community Emergency Response Team or CERT. That’s learning to be a volunteer during a disaster or emergency that might occur in our community,” says Joyce Woods, a health science teacher at Lamar County School of Technology.

The disaster response drill held at the Lamar County School of Technology included putting out fires, search and rescue missions and providing medical attention to survivors.

“We learned how to do a head-to-toe assessment on a patient, how to actually see what it’s like to be in a disaster, and how to just triage the victim,” says Beth Baber, a student volunteer.

Students who participate in the program come from three local schools: Lamar County, South Lamar and Sulligent High Schools.

“A lot of these students are interested in pursuing medical careers after they finish high school and a lot of this will help them in their medical careers,” says Woods.

“I plan on being a physical therapist and anything can happen at anytime so you always need to be prepared,” says Lamar County High School Junior, Bryce Myles.

The School of Technology says its mission is to provide students with life skills and training to enter the workforce.

“There are five different departments that they can become career-ready or be prepared to go to college. It just gives them a little edge on being prepared for a career,” says Woods.

Over 30 students and volunteers participated in today’s disaster drill.