Liberty University staff join area agencies for mass casualty incident training exercise on campus

Firetrucks, ambulances, first responders, and dozens of student and staff volunteers turned the Academic Lawn and the Freedom Tower at Liberty University into a simulated mass casualty incident (MCI) on Thursday morning, allowing Liberty and regional partners to train on all critical steps following a shooting.

The large-scale training exercise was the first of its kind for the region, designed to enhance coordinated emergency response and test interagency cooperation and preparedness across all participating agencies. The training was held in association with the Virginia Department of Health, Blue Ridge EMS Council, and area law enforcement, fire and rescue, and EMS. Professionals practiced triage skills and improved plans for emergency responders in the case of a real MCI (a situation involving a large number of injured people).

Over 200 joined the exercise, including about 60 first responder personnel, 70 people working behind the scenes on the planning committee and exercise management, and more than 80 volunteers.

Three divisions of Liberty University’s Office of Security & Public Safety participated: Emergency Management & Community Engagement, Environmental Health & Safety, and the Liberty University Police Department.

Local and regional jurisdictions taking part were Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, and Appomattox counties, Lynchburg Police Department and Lynchburg Fire Department, Centra Health, Delta Response Team, Southwest Virginia Medical Reserve Corps, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, and Virginia Department of Health. The FBI also sent a representative. The training exercise was prepared and operated by The Pegasus Solutions Group, which brought in eight experts with various backgrounds in fire, police, EMS, dispatching, emergency management, and more to better equip each partner organization at the drill.

“The book of Proverbs tells us that a prudent person recognizes danger and hides himself, but the simple person presses on and suffers for it,” Vice President of Security & Public Safety Marcus Tinsley told officials at the start of the exercise. “We live in a world where bad people do bad things, and it is imperative that every partner in here, every part of Liberty University, every resource we have, every part of our government, understands how we can share resources and interoperate together.”

Dozens of volunteers were scattered across the Academic Lawn and inside Freedom Tower classrooms, each decorated with makeup and prosthetics to mimic both minor and fatal gunshot wounds. The simulation was designed to start the moment after the active shooter had been neutralized.

“I think this was a great learning opportunity for all of our collaborating partners that we’ve been working with,” said Mary Kathryn Allen, regional director for the Blue Ridge EMS Council in the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Emergency Medical Services. “Liberty is a staple in Lynchburg, and I think it’s really important for parents and for the community to know that Liberty is doing everything it can to make sure that the campus is safe.”

Thursday’s event was the culmination of two years of planning.

“This was definitely probably two to three times larger than any staged MCI training event that I’ve been involved in, and it was definitely the most well-organized and put together from start to finish,” said Matthew Smith, a captain for the Lynchburg Fire Department (Station 3), who has over two decades of experience under his belt, including multiple MCI training exercises.

Smith led the initial dispatch for the Lynchburg Fire Department, commanding two engine companies, two ambulances, an EMS supervisor, and a battalion chief. His responsibilities involved starting triage, assessing victims, and relaying information to ensure patients were transported rapidly and safely.

“Every day and every event is a learning opportunity,” he said. “Nothing goes as planned, so being able to identify your mistakes and your shortcomings during scenarios like this will better prepare you for the future for doing the right thing at the right time.”

The campus portion of the MCI concluded at 11 a.m. after all volunteer victims were transported to hospitals, where healthcare professionals continued their training.

“No one is meant to do life alone,” Tinsley said. “And today, what you saw is a biblical concept: being watchful, being prepared, being strong.”