Laurens County to Hold Mass Casualty Simulation at Sawmill Training Complex and Gulches ORV Trail, Seeks Volunteers

Laurens County will host a large-scale mass casualty exercise on October 2, 2024, simulating an adverse weather event at a fictional state park. The exercise will take place at The Sawmill Training Complex and The Gulches ORV Trail, marking the second consecutive year that such a simulation has been held at The Sawmill. Last year’s simulation focused on the first 90 minutes of response to a tornado strike during a concert.

This year’s exercise will expand beyond initial mass casualty operations to include long-term operations, such as search and rescue. The event will last all day, or until all simulated “patients” are located. The goal is to provide Laurens County’s first responders with experience handling a large number of patients while also testing the command staff’s ability to manage long-term operations and inter-agency coordination.

“This simulation is crucial for preparing our emergency teams to respond effectively to large-scale incidents,” said Thomas Higgs, Laurens County Administrator. “We are grateful to the Sawmill Tactical Training Facility for allowing us to use their advanced facility, which enables our responders to train in a realistic and challenging environment. It also helps our command staff gain valuable experience in managing long-term operations and coordination with agencies across the state.”

Participating in the exercise are numerous in-county resources, including Laurens County EMS, Laurens County 911, Laurens County Emergency Management, local fire departments, city police and fire departments from both Laurens and Clinton, the Laurens County Coroner’s Office, and several volunteer fire departments. In addition, over 50 agencies from other counties and hospitals across South Carolina will be involved, making this one of the largest simulations held in Laurens County to date.

The county is seeking volunteers to act as injured campers, concerned family members, or search and rescue participants. Volunteers are asked to arrive between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. at The Sawmill Training Complex for briefings and moulage (makeup to simulate injuries). Meals will be provided, and volunteers can choose to stay for the entire day or leave at scheduled times. Those interested in volunteering or donating used camping gear to enhance the realism of the event can contact Katie Setzer at [email protected] or Josh Dosher at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).

This exercise is a critical part of Laurens County’s preparedness efforts, offering emergency teams valuable experience while strengthening collaboration with oth
er agencies throughout the state.