Vernon's Disaster Exercise Had Both Serious and Light Moments

Mayor George Apel took the microphone to address those involved in Thursday's mass casualty incident emergency preparedness drill at Rockville High School. 

He specifically addressed the 40 or so "victims."

"Did you have fun?" he asked the cast. Most nodded in the affirmative.

Apel said he was glad, because the acting was good - and it added a real-life flavor to the drill. 

He called the exercise an "important" aspect of training for first-responders - and the town.

State Rep. Timothy Ackert said it was important to be there. 

"I was here to listen, to observe and to evaluate," Ackert said. "Then, when the time comes to assist a town after an incident like this, I feel like I know exactly what went on."

He then offered a bit of a history lesson to gauge the significance of a drill like Wednesday's.

For 50 years, we have been having fire drills in schools. And for 50 years, we have not lost a single student to a fire in a school," he said. "We of course have different issues in schools now, but drills like this get us ready for all of it."

Town Council member Julie Clay wound up with a humorous scenario. When she reported to volunteer as a victim, she figured she would spend time away from the office, outside, with a fake broken leg maybe.

Nope. 

She was placed in lockdown inside three school. Ironically, she was stuck inside the wood shop. 

He family business is custom cabinetry and millwork. 

Even funnier was the young woman next to her at lunch. She was made up with facial lacerations - one quite graphic. She was her way to the dentist after the drill and was contemplating letting the wounds remain when she walked into the office.