Dozens of emergency service personnel from about 25 agencies converged at Dolores High School on Friday and Saturday for a mass casualty training course.
The two-day training session featured instructional videos and talks, as well as hands-on training exercises, said Montezuma County Emergency Manager Paul Hollar.
“This is a golden opportunity,” he said. “We’re fortunate to be able to host this again.”
The event focused on how the various agencies would respond and work together if there was an active shooter in a school or other public place. Members of local fire, police and emergency service agencies were present, as well as officials from Southwest Health System, the National Park Service and Montezuma County school districts, Hollar said.
Emergency response workers were learning new tactics for responding to a scene and eliminating the threat, while also rescuing people in danger and getting them the proper treatment, Hollar said. “We’re really coming up with a plan and training for this together,” he said. “That way, if, God forbid, that day comes, we can save a lot more lives.”
The agencies learned what each other’s roles would be in an active shooter scenario, so that all involved can carry out their responsibilities and coordinate the proper response, treatment and care, said Southwest Health marketing director Haley Leonard.
It’s the second time Montezuma County has hosted such an event, Hollar said.
This weekend’s training session was sponsored by Southwest Regional Emergency and Trauma Advisory Council, an agency that aims to maintain, improve and expand emergency medical and trauma services in Southwest Colorado.
Hollar said the weekend’s training events were a starting point. The agencies will continue working together to build other pieces into the response plan, he said.
He was impressed with the big and positive response from the emergency workers at the event.
“We want to take this training and build on it,” Hollar said. “A lot of that comes after this.”
jklopfenstein@the-journal.com
