Habersham Co. Personnel respond to Mock Mass Casualty Incident at Piedmont University 

It may have been only a mass casualty exercise Wednesday morning at Piedmont University in Demorest, but participants said it made them pause to think. Piedmont University Police Chief Jim Andrews said following the event that even knowing it was a planned exercise, hearing the dispatch of the active assailant sent numerous thoughts through his mind. Similarly, several College of Nursing students said it gave them insight into situations they might face in their careers. The sounds of birds under a clear blue sky were interrupted by pager tones as units from Demorest Fire Department, Habersham County Emergency Services, and local law enforcement personnel were dispatched to the Sewell building just off Demorest Lake Road. In addition to the above agencies, units from Habersham County Emergency Management Agency/9-1-1, Stephens County Emergency Medical Services, Stephens County Emergency Management Agency, the Habersham County Public Information Office, and the Habersham County Coroner’s Office responded to the simulated incident, in addition to Piedmont University Police Department, Demorest Police Department, and the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team. A number of the senior nursing students who responded to the exercise had an opportunity to practice loading a mannequin into the waiting Air Life Georgia 2 medical helicopter on the university’s quad, while others helped load victims into waiting Habersham County and Stephens County ambulances and university vans. Demorest City Councilman Jimmy Davis joined University President Marshall Criser and others to observe the simulated response and training. More than 200 students participated in the exercise, including junior nursing students serving as victims, senior nursing students serving as responders, theater students creating makeup and effects, mass comm students documenting the incident and conducting interviews, forensics students conducting crime scene investigations, criminal justice students assessing the scene, psychology students providing mental health support, and education students practicing lockdown drills. District 2 Public Health provided evaluators and public information assistance, while both Northeast Georgia Health System and Stephens County Hospital had representatives on scene for the exercise. The scenario included 10 critically injured individuals, five of whom were simulated to be flown from the scene and five others ground transported. A total of six people, including the perpetrator, were simulated to be dead at the scene. There were also about 30 walking wounded. Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham in Demorest accepted 10 patients from the exercise, while Stephens County Hospital practiced its emergency capabilities and received 15 victims. Following the event, a press conference was held at Arrendale Amphitheater at Piedmont, where Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Robin Krockum, Habersham County Emergency Management Agency/9-1-1 Director Lynn Smith, Habersham County Emergency Services Director/Chief Jeff Adams, Demorest Fire Chief Dave Scheuerer, Georgia Emergency Management Agency Homeland Security Coordinator David Shanks, Piedmont University Vice President of Public Affairs Renee’ Farguson, Piedmont University Police Chief Jim Andrews, District 2 Public Health Public Information Officer Bobby Ward, Stephens County Hospital Director of Marketing, Public Relations, and Community Engagement Joley Strickland, and Northeast Georgia Health System Senior Public Relations and Marketing Specialist Layne Saliba fielded questions from media members.