People in blood-stained white shirts filled the pews of the Chabad of Poway while others checked if they were OK and cried out for help. It was all part of a mass casualty shooting drill that played out Monday night.
The drill hit home for members like Dr. Nate Rendler, who arrived at the Chabad minutes after the April 2019 shooting that killed a woman and injured three others.
“When we arrived it was a scene of horror. I mean, there were people in shock," Dr. Rendler remembered.
Rendler said he felt compelled to take part in Monday's simulation where he checked for and put pressure on people’s fake injuries.
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“I think we've all had our training as physicians, but in acute situations with a shooting, that’s not something we train in day in and day out," explained Rendler.
The roughly two-hour interactive simulation was headed by members of Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency medical service.
Senior paramedic Rapahel Herbst said, sadly, he's dealt with far too many mass casualties incidents to count.
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One of the keys to saving lives, according to Herst, is to stop bleeding.
“Direct pressure, pressing against the wound is important,“ Herbst explained. “You can stop the bleed with a shirt or a belt or with your hands."
The training also focuses on six other principles, including calling for help and teaching a community response, rather than just an individual one.
“What happens if the individual necessary is not at the event or what happens if they can’t function because they’re emotionally involved because they were caught by surprise?" said Herbst.
He also noted it’s key to help first responders prior to their arrival.
“We know saving time is saving lives, so when emergency services arrive, they don’t have to start from the beginning. So if the scene is organized they know exactly what's going on. They know how many ambulances. They can identify who needs to go as fast as possible to the hospital.”
Training that some say is sadly needed because of a rise in anti-Semitism and domestic terror attacks at places of worship, malls and schools.
