April 21 was a bad day at Richmond Hill High School. By design.

That’s when Richmond Hill High School Emergency Medical Responder students participated in a mock disaster drill with the theme, “This day was toxic.”

That was aimed at teaching students not only about the management of various types of injuries, but also about the importance of interagency cooperation as hazardous materials experts, dispatch, police, fire and emergency services personnel coordinated responses to the disaster.

 Bryan County EMS, The City of Richmond Hill Fire Department, Richmond Hill Police Department, and Bryan County Sheriff ’s Department assisted on site with the drill. 

At the conclusion of the drill, students were provided additional educational sessions with Bryan County Sheriff ’s Canine Unit, Bryan County EMS, Dispatch and The City of Richmond Hill Fire Department.

 It is this community support that creates such a robust learning experience for the RHHS students. Bryan County EMS personnel have been volunteering in the classroom teaching hands on skills since the very first Emergency Medical Responder high school class seven years ago. This year’s drill, coordinated by Bryan County EMS Firefighter/EMT Cody Croft, was especially rewarding with an increase in community partners attending the drill and showing students the intersection of various career fields in emergency services.