A mock disaster drill took place Thursday on the Middlesboro campus of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College.

“The college reassured the community that this was a training scenario for our nursing students,” Director of Public Relations Amy Simpson said.

Local police and medical personnel responded exactly as they would in a real disaster.

“We didn’t want anyone to be alarmed,” Simpson said.

The scenario was conducted by the nursing school.

“It was a plane that had crashed into Southeast College,” Middlesboro Firefighter/EMS Chris Earl said, “The freshman students were the victims, nursing students were the triage team.”

Agencies that participated in the mock drill included Kentucky State Police, Middlesboro Police Department, Air Evac, Middlesboro Fire/EMS Department, and Appalachian Regional Hospital Emergency Room staff.

“Patients were mock flown to ARH,” Earl explained. “We actually transported eight to the ER for mock treatment.”