Tornado Simulation Used for CERT Certification

MACON,Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Imagine a major tornado hitting in Macon, buildings destroyed, and people scattered everywhere. Well that was the case Thursday, for some Miller Motte Technical College medical students.

Injured people were everywhere crying out for help. Other lifeless bodies were sprawled across the ground. Medical students quickly and calmly treated their patients, and moved some to a makeshift triage.

The chaotic scene was part of simulated tornado exercise to determine if the medical students could put into practice what they learned in the classroom.

“It gives them an aspect of dealing with emergencies on a broader scale as far as students being out in the field,” said Stacy Tolbert, Miller Motte Project Director. “Of course, we train medical assistants here to actually go into the physicians office where the emergencies are not as gory.”

Students were evaluated on tending to their patients in a professional manner without causing them additional injuries, how well they work together on fire suppression and triage.

The students who responded well in the simulated disaster were certified as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Members.

The Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency oversees the CERT teams.

“It allows our community members to assist our traditional first responders, i.e., fire, and law enforcement,” says Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Deputy Director, Rodney Roberson.

Each volunteer will tell you a different reason for becoming a CERT team member. The bottom line, they say, is that they just want to help.

“Being a CERT volunteer is different and it’s a way to get involved in the community whenever disaster strikes,” says Ravane Williams. “It shows us the different ways to take care of a person.”

David Canady is a CERT team leader for Macon Bibb Battalion 23.

“I’ve always liked to volunteer for several different things ever since I was young doing Boy Scout work and different things like that,” says Canady.

Now, in the event of a major disaster, the Macon-Bibb EMA Deputy Director says he is confident he has a CERT Team that is capable of working side by side with first responders to save lives.