USF College of Public Health (COPH) students in Elizabeth Dunn’s service-learning “Disaster by Design” course culminated their semester-long class in disaster management by designing, teaching and evaluating disaster-training exercises.

The training exercises were presented (in-person) by the students and others to members of Hillsborough County’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) during the annual CERT exercise at the Hillsborough County Emergency Operation Center in April.

The county’s CERT team, made up of volunteers, supports full-time responders in emergency situations, such as hurricanes, floods and wildfires.

Teaching Disaster Response

The college teamed with community partners from the Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management, the City of Tampa Office of Emergency Management, the Florida Department of Health Region IV, Zoo Tampa Emergency Management, TECO Emergency Management, Walt Disney World Global and Disaster Response Ministries International to develop the exercises. 

The exercises involved emergency-management procedures such as:

• Mass casualty triage
• Setting up operations at a point of distribution (POD) for food and water
• Intake for a family reunification center
• Working with dogs in a pet shelter & pet first aid
• Crisis communication in a disaster call center
• Infection control during biological threats
• Damage assessments

“Disaster exercises help businesses, hospitals, government agencies, disaster-response organizations and communities prepare for potential threats and hazards by providing a low-risk environment to test and validate existing plans, policies and procedures,” said Dunn, an Instructor I and a disaster-preparedness expert. “Through this process, teams can identify gaps in their plans and determine existing strengths and areas for improvement and what resources are needed.”

Students grouped together to work on developing and implementing their training exercises. One group, for example, developed a tabletop exercise (a discussion-based session in which team members talk about their roles, responsibilities, etc.) that revolved around what to do if an EF 5 tornado touched down in a town in Kentucky. That same group of students later teamed with the Florida Department of Health to create an exercise/drill for local CERT personnel, training them in proper handwashing and how to use personal-protection equipment (PPE) in the event there was a tuberculosis outbreak in a hospital emergency room.

“An Unexpected Gift”

Students say the course taught them more than disaster management.

It taught them about themselves, their unique skills, teamwork and the important roles they can play in their communities.

“This course was an unexpected gift,” Kayla Long, a senior majoring in biomedical sciences, said. “It was not a course I had to take for my major, but rather a substitute for another course I needed to complete my second minor in environmental health. I was, frankly, confused as to how this course would be a suitable class to complement courses like principles of toxicology—it seemed out of place, an unnecessary addition. I came to find, however, that PHC 4376 [Disaster by Design] was more than just a course on emergency management—it was ultimately a lesson in mindfulness.”

How so? 

“I learned to view things from a dozen different angles, to consider how varying perspectives can be used to adapt creative solutions,” elaborated Long, who has plans of pursuing a career as an infectious disease physician. “I was able to create plans that reflected my unique knowledge and skill set while embracing those things in my peers. Our final exercise felt like reaching the top of a mountain. The way I see it, this course is a starting point—it’s a call to action, to embrace my role in my community and the potential positive impact my efforts can have when joined with those of my peers.”

Expanding Career Options

According to Dunn as well as the CERT teams and students themselves, the exercises were successful. 

“When one of the groups asked if they could use the project we designed,” Jordan Bentivenga, a recent USF graduate with hopes of getting both an MPH and medical degree, said, “We felt like we accomplished our goal of effectively designing and communicating [a disaster-management] exercise.”

Elyshaluz Day Gonzales, a senior public health major concentrating in infection control, said the course gave her more than hands-on learning—it opened a whole new career path for her.

“The course not only taught me about creating, planning and facilitating an exercise, but it taught me more about what I want to do with my future. It taught me how intricate and interesting the field of emergency management and planning is. It taught me that there should be no boundaries in what you can do to help people, and also that there are endless amounts of opportunities to do so if you look for them and put yourself out there. And with all the knowledge and skills I have gained, and the people I have met through my experiences this semester, I have been able to explore the field of public health and explore myself and what I want for my future occupation. I’m very excited to see where this path takes me.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health