Photo By Maj. Chad Nixon | Spc. Charles Saunders, an Army Reserve Soldier from the 971st Medical Logistics...... read more read more
SALT LAKE CITY - Tables covered in makeup, fake blood and bandages might make you think of a horror movie film set, but these 807th Medical Command Army reserve soldiers are volunteering their support to the Utah National Guard working as special effects or moulage artists during earthquake response exercise, Vigilant Guard, Nov. 3-6.
According to FEMA, “Vigilant Guard is an emergency preparedness exercise designed to test and improve the Utah Division of Emergency Management's and the Utah National Guard's ability to support local responders during a disaster.”
The event scenario starts with a 6.0 magnitude earthquake followed by a 7.0 earthquake, two days later.
“With an earthquake that size you will have multiple wounded, stated U.S. Army Capt. Jann Griffis, a Salt Lake City native and nursing graduate from Westminster College currently serving as the officer in charge of the moulage team, working out of Fort Douglas, Utah.
“The purpose of moulage is to make notional wounds look as real as possible,” stated Griffis. “The goal of my team is to provide the medical providers who service the wounded a visual stimulus to help them react accordingly.”
Makeup work comes second-nature for Griffis, many years ago she attended training to be a cosmetologist.
“I would do beauty pageants, fashion and runway shows ... it was fun, but I left it behind to enter nursing.”
Others were first in line to get their hands bloody as well.
U.S. Army Spc. Chanelle Harrelson, a 68 Whisky or Licensed Practical Nurse with Bravo Company, 328th Combat Support Hospital, based in Fort Douglas, Utah, hadn’t made fake wounds for training since she entered the field some number of years ago.
“I am a little rusty, but having fun,” stated Harrelson. “Practice makes perfect and the more I do, the better the wounds look.”
More than 100 volunteers from the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, University of Utah Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and civilian contractors, are volunteering their time to roll play as wounded for the exercise.
“During my time as a trauma nurse, I have witnessed many wounds and accidents that give me some creative ideas,” said Griffis. “We have a pretty motivated team willing to get dirty to help make this exercise as realistic as possible for everyone involved.”
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2014 15:01 |
| Story ID: | 147209 |
| Location: | SALT LAKE CITY, UT, US |
| Hometown: | SALT LAKE CITY, UT, US |
| Hometown: | WEST JORDAN, UT, US |
| Web Views: | 265 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Ready, set, makeup: Moulage in earthquake preparedness, by MAJ Chad Nixon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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