IS DOTHAN PREPARED FOR A DISASTER?

Approximately 50 people were rushed to the hospital this morning after an explosion occurred at the Houston County Farm Center. It involved "Organo Phosphate," which is a common chemical used for farming in the Wiregrass area. But don`t worry...It wasn`t a real disaster. It was actually a drill put on by several agencies to prepare rescue workers for a real disaster. Officials say it is a good test for the fire department, as well as others, to make sure they are able to respond to these types of incidences. Emergency Medical Technician students at Wallace Community College, as well as Medial Center volunteers were used as victims. They were identified by signs around their necks that told their injuries, as well as what color "triage" they were standing on. "Anytime there is a situation where we have numerous victims, we first determine the most critical and who should get treated first. We use four colors to determine the criticality of the patient. Red is most critical, yellow is the intermediate phase, green is the "walking wounded" and black is the fatalities," says Chief Larry Williams, Dothan Fire Department. Victims were immediatley transported to Flowers Hospital, as well as Southeast Alabama Medical Center. Their vital signs were checked and they were also decontaminated. Officials perform this drill two times a year and workers say they don`t mind because it helps them become better at performing their job. "We deal with small incidents daily, but not large, so if we don`t practice it, we will not perform as well," says Williams. Being prepared for disasters and working well under pressure is what rescue workers are payed to do. Drills like today involve a lot of work, but the experience could save your life. JANA JACOBS-WDHN NEWS 18.