UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT Tyler to Help Oversee Disaster Drill Feb. 17 in Kilgore

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February 16, 2016

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

The University of Texas at Tyler, in collaboration with LeTourneau University and Kilgore College, will participate in a “Point of Dispensing” disaster drill. The exercise will be 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17 at Kilgore Primary School in Kilgore.

Along with nursing students from LETU and KC, UT Tyler Longview University Center nursing students will manage the POD drill. In addition, about 300 Kilgore Junior High School students will participate as clients.

“Students from each school have been meeting and organizing with the other student volunteers to make this drill efficient yet realistic by providing potential scenarios in identifying persons with limited mobility, physical compromise or the mental health issues that can easily arise in high-stress situations,” said Rebecca Carrasco, UT Tyler LUC clinical instructor.

In the wake of 9/11, the Federal government created the Medical Research Corps to channel medical/health volunteers to respond to large-scale public health crises where medications could be distributed at selected public buildings.

“LETU School of Nursing will be working collaboratively to learn and understand the internal functions of a POD and how they could one day be asked to participate in getting necessary immunizations or medications to the members of our community in the event of a real epidemic,” said Jennifer Bray, LETU assistant professor of nursing.

This is the second POD drill in which UT Tyler LUC has participated, and officials foresee annual POD drills that will help train nursing students to respond to disaster.

“It is essential that all nursing students understand the mechanism of large-scale disaster response and their potential role,” Dayna McCoy Davidson, KC associate degree nursing program director, said.

Event sponsors include the Gregg County Health Department and local fire and police departments.

For more information, contact Carrasco, 903.663.8241 or rcarrasco@uttyler.edu or Katheryn Courville, UT Tyler LUC clinical instructor, 903.663.8228 or kcourville@uttyler.edu.   

One of the 14 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 8,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.