Pete Moye’
News Button

Students and faculty hurried out of their buildings for the annual statewide earthquake drill in campus on Oct. 20.

“We partnered with the fire department across the street and they came out and showed us told us on what should we be prioritizing on,” Associate Dean of Health Services, Nancy Montgomery said.

She organized a preparedness drill for the nurses where volunteer students acted as injured victims.

“We found out we’re in a deficit, we’re on a deficit of personnel and a deficit on people who can actually help, but they (the fire department) showed us and this is how we learned,” she said.

The Health Services department also learned how to triage.

“Triaging is different than from caring individuals who actually come in to the medical facilty,” Montgomery said.

She continued, saying, “In triage, there’s immediate care and we have to get to them now to save their lives, medical care is how we can take care of an illness.

“This is not an illness, this is a disaster.”

The personnel prepared on participating Cerritos College club members to play as victims.

“It was fun, we got to help each other out.” Oscar De La Torre, Kinesiology major said.

De La Torre was a volunteer victim who had a neck injury and was hit in the head.

The nurses helped out with enough time to save his life.

“It was good to help out the nurses and doctors so they can be prepared for an evacuation,” Kinesiology major Javier Castillo said.

Castillo was another victim actor who participated.

He was jumped and had his arm pop out, nurses and doctors got assisted on him quickly enough to have him survive.

Since this is an annual event, more students are encouraged to participated to be victim actors for next year.

“We’ll put a better e-mail blast to let students know if they want to participate,” Montgomery said.

The students were evacuated from every building on campus.

Bells didn’t stop ringing until everyone was sure all buildings were emptied which lasted about 40 minutes.

“Everyone is everywhere, so I guess it’s good to be prepared,” Music major, Nernest Wilson said.