When the unthinkable happens — for example. a crazed gunman opens fire inside a hospital shooting anyone in sight — we rely on our public servants to be there for us. Like anything else, that takes practice.
Police respond to the mock shooting.
So one foggy Sunday morning last month, the Ventura police and fire departments honed their skills with a training drill at the Ventura County Medical Center — not the hospital, but an adjacent building.
I was there to document the event with still photographs. A three camera video crew came to shoot the event and produce a training video. So my task was to get as many good images as possible without getting in their way, while everything was happening in real time in very close quarters.
The police work their way through the hospital room by room
It was inspiring and reassuring to witness the teamwork from the police, medical, hospital and emergency personnel.
To make the scenario realistic, volunteers played the role of victim.
Nurses offer help in the triage area
A helicopter arrived to med-evac away the wounded.