Local first responders impress emergency management in disaster test

MURRAY – Murray-Calloway County first responders rushed to 8th and Popular, the scene of a simulated disaster as part of a readiness test held by Calloway County Emergency Management Thursday that left them impressed.

The test portrayed a cyberattack on Murray-Calloway County Hospital, and manipulation of its building automation system – causing a natural gas explosion. Through this situation, MCCH Emergency Medical Services, Murray Fire Department, Calloway County Fire-Rescue and MCCH emergency department staff, among others, experienced a disaster with structural damage, fire and a casualty count of 30 to 40 people. 

Marty Barnett, MCCH EMS director, said this scale was meant to replicate the intake the hospital received from the Mayfield Consumer Products Candle Factory during the 2021 Mayfield tornado.

“This is almost like baptism by fire (for our newer people),” Barnett said. “They're still, well, as we call them, ‘babies’ in our world, so this is a way for them to learn and to grow because the old dogs are not going to be around all the time to do it.”

Left: Eric Pologruto, Murray Fire Department chief, talks to firefighters during Thursday’s exercise. Right: From left, Murray Firefighters Jaylen Boling, Chris Taylor and David Rainey listen to Pologruto. (RIVER MURT/The Murray Sentinel)

A high school student volunteer acts in despair for Murray-Calloway County Hospital Emergency Medical Services staff conducting triage. (RIVER MURT/The Murray Sentinel)

Breezy Joiner, a Murray emergency medical technician, conducts triage on a high school volunteers. (RIVER MURT/The Murray Sentinel)

The same "father" acts distraught as Murray-Calloway County Emergency Medical Services staff attempt to conduct triage on his "child." (RIVER MURT/The Murray Sentinel)

Their performance not only pleased Josh Kerr, Calloway County emergency management director, but present members of Kentucky Emergency Management as well.

Kerr said Jennifer Hitch, local programs branch director, has never seen first responders transport victims, who were volunteer high schoolers participating in MCCH’s Summer Healthcare Camp, from the scene of the test to the emergency room.

“(Hitch) said this was the first time she's ever seen that in 20 years, where (first responders) physically put them in an ambulance and moved them,” Kerr said. “She was overly impressed with that, and she said make sure she gets a copy of the write-up, because she wants people at (Kentucky Emergency Management) to see it.”

While most of the high school volunteers acted as victims of the explosion, in Barnett’s shadow was Brody Spaulding.

Spaulding, a 15-year-old sophomore at Marshall County High School, is who Barnett called an “overachiever,” and rather than be one of the victims, he asked to be part of the emergency response instead.

“I've talked to triage officers, I've been to (Incident Command), and talked to them,” Spaulding said. “I went inside during the scene, helped set everything up. It's been a wonderful experience so far. I'm really grateful that Murray-Calloway was able to come out and let me do this."

He said EMS has interested him since a young age, and he’s been actively learning what it takes to be a first responder, and earned it. Spaulding has taken multiple Federal Emergency Management Agency classes required for incident command, namely ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800.

• IS-100.C: Introduction to Incident Command Systems

• IS-200.C: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response

• IS-700.B: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System

• IS-800.B: National Response Framework, An Introduction

“'I’ve got grown people who still don't want to take (those classes),” Barnett said. “Brody probably knows more about incident command than half of us out here because he’s learned it while we just did it.”

Spaulding said he’s split over what he wants for his future, be it emergency management at the county or state level, or even a flight nurse, but it’ll be his endeavor to help others.