Scenario: Scene becomes unsafe

Facilitator:
Patients:
Time: 15 mins; 1525-1540
Actual time:
Learning Objectives:
Materials: Make-up

Materials: Eye flush bottles

Tell everyone:

We're going back to the anti-police brutality march we started this section with. It is a spontaneous march from the horse at Grant Park to the First District Police Station. A medic is doing dispatch and sending you texts based on what she sees on twitter and the livefeed. The march is huge and rowdy, completely blocking the street for blocks. Police are marshaling the march into the street using vehicles and bikes, and a few scuffles break out, leading to arrests. Protesters are baiting the cops and many look like they're spoiling for a fight. When the march reaches the First District station, the police push it into the huge parking lots on the north side of 17th Street. Somebody sets up a tent. Without warning, the whole crowd is completely surrounded by tight ranks of police lines in light body armor with their gas masks on and their helmet visors down.

Tell actors (police, EMS, etc.) and scenario coordinators:

Only trainers play cops.

Cops' power is in not doing anything and holding firm; waiting for orders. When orders come you rapidly follow them. Your supervisor is watching you, and this is a high-visibility event. Do not act without proper authorization from a commanding officer.
Batons are used to corral the crowd, not to beat on it -- see below for exception.
The Order to Disperse will be given five minutes in. Crowd will be gently stampeded, and the rank they run up against will hurt them a little bit with batons and pepper spray.
Simulate crowd-crush: pinch the group against a wall, etc. with only a little room to maneuver.
Buddies who split up: one gets arrested.
Negotiating out: worse injuries get more latitude; authority drag and polite, insistent self-confidence gets more latitude; asking for a commanding officer gets more latitude. Broken record, whining, threatening, and getting emotional don't work. If medics get out they are not let back in.
Arrested buddies sit out the rest of the scenario. Arrested/care-transferred patients can be circulated back in with a new role.
We cannot simulate a tight police line, but imagine it. Medics and patients cannot get through. Their only way out is gonna be in a paddy wagon or if command opens the kettle.
Not getting trampled is a big deal in this scenario; medics have to create space or negotiate out of the kettle.
One medic gets a baton head injury and is immediately arrested. Buddy may go with or stay, but has to think quick. If buddy goes with, she can advocate and render care in a "paddy-wagon" area off to the side with hands in cuffs.

Tell medics:

Make sure you have an eye flush bottle with your kit.

We are trying to make the role plays as real as possible, so strange and unpredictable things may happen just like they happen on the street. Be ready for them.

Tell medics and patients:

If medics need information about the status of the person they are treating, medics can ask them. For example, when assessing breathing, medics can say, "I am looking, listening, and feeling for breathing. What do I find?" and the patient can answer.

Tell patients:

If you get wet in an eye flush you start to get really cold.

Patients

Patients can do double-duty, both before and after the Order to Disperse.

Twisted ankle on march, now can hardly walk on it. Finds medic. Ankle is swelling, but you also need your ankle cared for because of emotional reasons: this is terrifying and you don't want to be here anymore.
Find a medic: you want tylenol or advil or something for your headache. Dehydrated but don't recognize it. Afraid but won't say that you're afraid.
You are 3 months pregnant and want to get out of the kettle for your baby's safety. You haven't told anybody yet because your last pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. You are scared and want the medic to help you.
You have handcuff injuries from an arrest 3 days ago; don't want to get arrested again; no nerve damage, but wrists hurting especially bad right now from bad bruising and small lacerations. St Johns Wort oil will make it better in about a minute after application. Be really grateful to medic, and generally helpful if asked.
Father and 7-year-old child.

5 minutes in: Order to Disperse is given.

Fell in stampede, still down, broke wrist, move to sitting position; biggest risk is incurring additional injuries from getting trampled.
Tripped over tent, twisted ankle, cut shin, hit forehead; scalp laceration (lots of blood on head, face, and hands); cannot bear weight on ankle. A few minutes after your injury you vomit.
Pushed up against bad police line: pepper sprayed, has asthma, respiratory problems.
Pushed up against bad police line: pepper sprayed. really mad. yelling. When calmed, realizes that he has pain over his kidneys. If exposed, there's massive purple and yellow and black bruising on his back; doesn't know how it happened.
Pushed up against bad police line: pepper sprayed. Also jabbed in chest with baton when slammed up against cop line, having pain with breathing.
Pushed up against bad police line: pepper sprayed, Muslim woman. refuses treatment from anyone that she identifies as male. Wears head scarf.
Pushed up against bad police line: pepper sprayed and has a broken arm (defense injury from swinging baton), with pain initially masked by pepper spray pain.
Pushed up against bad police line: pepper sprayed and starts to vomit after eye flush.
Pushed up against bad police line: pepper sprayed and collarbone fracture from truncheon blows; twisted ankle, can't really bear weight, may fall.
Pepper sprayed with lots of mouth and skin pain.
Pushed up against bad police line: pepper sprayed and starts to vomit after eye flush.
Baiting cops like a provocateur. Shirt off, obnoxious, starting shit with cops and protesters. Gets into fightL
Gets baited into fight with "provocateur" above. Fight is real disruptive in such a tight space: ends up punched in face with bloody nose, swollen jaw, swelling around eye, thrown shoulder.