Truman State University - Echo Yearbook (Kirksville, MO)

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Part of Missouri Hall caught fire and exploded. Many students were trapped inside the build- ing, some with serious in- juries. Fortunately, this scenar- io was only a drill to train REAL-LIFE DRAMA Campus and community cooperate to produce on award- winning disaster people to act quickly and effectively in the event of a real disaster. March 19 was the date and Missouri Hall was the site for NMSU's first-ever mock disaster. The mock disaster was organized by the Residence Life staff but organizations outside NMSU also participated. When The Association of College and University Housing Officers met Nov. 6 and 7, the members of the Residence Life staff were presented with an award for their efforts in the mock disaster pro- gram. NM5U was selected for the award from among 215 schools in an eight-state region. When ACUHO met in LaCrosse, Wis., Ron Gaber, director of Resi- dence Life, said the award was given to the school that promoted the most in- novative and radical idea in safety. A variety of schools en- tered their ideas on safety awareness, but none of them were as original as ours,” Gaber said. The idea to have a mock disaster situation came from people within the Residence Life staff. The facility committee tried to brainstorm ways to improve safety awareness in the event that a real dis- aster occurred, Gaber said. Senior Penne Eiken played the role of a con- cerned parent when the mock disaster took place. Her duty was to call the NMSU Public Relations Of- fice to find out more as the mock disaster unfolded. ‘1 feel they deserved the award because the event did involve carrying out a lot of planning, Gaber said. I think the event made the community aware of what could hap- pen during a real disaster, especially in training peo- ple on how to effectively deal with such a problem. Lori Haxton, assistant di- rector of Residence Life, participated in the mock disaster. Her job, along with others, was to make the mock victims up to look as if they had really sustained injuries. It was a lot of fun, Hax- ton said. The doctors who checked the victims' injuries at the hospitals commented on the excel- lent make up. Many agencies outside the University were in- volved such as the Kirks- ville Police Dept, and Grim Smith Hospital. The KPD is showing tapes of their in- volvement to train people on disaster procedures. Gaber said all involved learned a great deal from their experiences, but said such an event won't take place every year. Right now we think we might have one every third or fourth year, Gaber said. ACUHO will hold their in- ternational convention in Los Angeles this summer. This meeting will provide schools from all over the world a view of what the Residence Life staff here at NMSU did in order to estab- lish a mock disaster. ----- Scott Hawkins ------ CLUSTER or PAIN Participants In this drill, put on by Residence Life, lie waiting for assistance from volunteers who helped In the reality of the event. Photo by Dixon Munday Student Life Disaster

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I WANT YOU...TO WANT MEI DISPLAY IT WITH PRIDE Em- ployees of the KTUF radio station get Baldwin Hall ready for Cheap Trick's performance. SAB and KTUF co-sponsored the event. Photo by Mike Odncal Drawing the crowd into his song. Robin Zander, lead singer of Cheap Trick continues a stream of old and new hits. Photo by Mike Odneal READY TOR IGNITION Mem- bers of The Machine, openers for Cheap Trick, show their excite- ment in the dressing room be- neath Baldwin flail. Photo by Mike Odneal Student Llfc f Cheap Trick

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CURLED AMD WAITING Partici- pants in the mock disaster drill wait for aid. Everyone took the drill very seriously, which added to its reality. Photo by Dixon Munday IN CARE or THE INJURED Par- amedics take part in the mock di- saster drill by placing the injured on stretchers and taking them away from the scene. Photo by Dixon Munday. APPLYING AID A Kirksville fire- man helps ailing mock reporter Mike Truelsen.Jr., who happened to get involved in this disaster at Missouri Mall. Photo by Dixon Munday ThE RESCUE Kirksville fireman scale their way to help Missouri Mall residents in Residence Life's mock disaster drill last spring. Photo by Dixon Munday Student Life 15 Disaster