By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
And the Oscar goes to Sherida Griggs of Dowagiac Police Department for her hysterical portrayal of a mother who lost her baby in a hail of debris from the latest tornado to strike Southwestern Michigan College.
According to the scenario read to five soon-to-be graduates of Dowagiac police and fire departments' second Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class by city Officer Dan Wiggins, the twister touched down west of SMC about 6 p.m. May 17 and traveled east across campus.
In its path, Mathews Library and Conference Centers was the most heavily damaged of several buildings raked by high winds and flying debris.
The line about gas triggered the CERT team's first discussion.
Daniels' husband, Maintenance Supervisor Dave Daniels, was one of two members of the first class activated for service in other states. Daniels provided hurricane relief in Louisiana. Jeff Blunier assisted with flood relief in Pennsylvania.
The other team members nodding gravely are Robert Stephens of Dowagiac Housing Commission and Aaron Squiers, who has just been selected incident commander due to his Coast Guard service and emergency management degree.
They have all heard about the first class of 22, including Griggs, turned out on July 7, 2004. Their scenario of severe thunderstorms and a possible tornado slamming SMC led to the "deaths" of two CERT members when they ignored danger to themselves and entering the "burning" conference center kitchen to rescue a screaming victim.
Such drills review triage, light fire suppression, medical operations and search and rescue through a dark building where the "tornado" has overturned tables and strewn newspapers about.
CERT members are expected to evaluate the situation and react as if no additional emergency responders are present or available for their first practical test of what they have been learning.
Once they are informed SMC maintenance secured the gas meter and that the supply has been cut off leaving only a residual odor, they enter and begin their search, missing Smurfy blue-cheeked Sean Griggs, 14, pinned behind a turned-over couch, only his hand visible.
It's the opening Mattix needs to make his point. "In the room, you went right, you went left. You're talking back and forth to each other because you have no idea where your partner's at. If she'd been anything but screaming - maybe occasional moans - you'd have had tremendous trouble hearing her because you're trying to find each other. You've got to stay together to search because you can actually cover that room faster, working together next to each other, than splitting apart. Down the hallway you split apart and you missed the dead guy."
One of the "victims" had his hand severed. "He's movable," Mattix advised. "Odds are amputations aren't going to bleed like you think. They don't bleed like in the movies. Arteries and veins clench up and suck back in. You're not going to see the 'Saturday Night Live' Julia Child with blood spurting up six feet in the air - especially if he's been down for a while. Actually, for the first time through and what was thrown at you, you guys did great."
Mattix recalled how Griggs, blinded by an explosion, flailed around on the floor, searching desperately for her child. The baby doll, its forehead crushed under a table, was already dead.
Mattix said Squiers especially showed cool under fire discouraging a bystander trying to force his way back into the building. "I actually liked that decision. You knew what your resources were. He's got a child in there. Think about if that was your kid and you wanted to get past them. With an adrenaline rush to fuel his aggression, he could be as strong as a Raiders linebacker."
The bottom line, Mattix reminded, is, "You do the best you can with what you've got."
If the mom had been clutching her dead baby, they said there was no immediate need to separate them, even though CERT members are taught to separate the triage area from the morgue. "Keep her away from your other victims until you can get someone to help you," Mattix said. "In this situation, a little white lie is probably best to keep her calm to make your job easier, and also to not enhance her condition, depending on what's wrong with her."
Often, the high-strung people who might be expected to fall apart, turn calm and methodical. Meanwhile, "The ones you think are the calmest people in the world and the epitome of organization under normal circumstances," go blank during stressful episodes.