CAMARILLO : Children Play Role in Disaster Drill

Tim Kennaley, 12, relaxed under a tree at the Mormon Church in Camarillo on Saturday, with what appeared to be some major internal organs protruding from his belly. He calmly munched a hamburger and swigged down a soft drink while awaiting medical attention.

Near him sat another youngster, his shirt torn to reveal what looked like a third-degree burn on his stomach. Ten other children in various stages of apparent distress were also nearby, joking and laughing while waiting for help.

The youngsters, all members of the drama club at Monte Vista Intermediate School in Camarillo, were volunteer victims for a simulated rescue as part of the Tri-Counties Disaster Preparedness Expo, sponsored by the Pleasant Valley Elementary School District and Ventura County Emergency Medical Services.

The drill was designed to demonstrate how the county would respond to a major disaster, county spokeswoman Julie Bridges said. Also featured at the expo were vendors and businesses with products that could be used in a real disaster, such as flashlights and dehydrated food.

“We’re trying to show the community what kind of resources are available and what are expended during a disaster. This drill is a simulated traffic accident that occurred after an earthquake,” she said.

But even the best-planned disasters can go awry. The rescue had to be postponed for about 45 minutes when one of the four county fire engines taking part in the drill was needed to investigate a possible fire at a local business.

In the meantime, Tim and his friends relaxed on the grass near the church’s parking lot. Signs on their shirts told what injuries they had sustained.

Tim’s realistic-looking internal organs were supplied by Ron Riley, transportation maintenance supervisor for the Pleasant Valley district.

“I did it with smoked sausage and beef kidney,” he revealed as he created another mock injury, a facial laceration on 13-year-old Bruce Conklin’s cheek. “The blood is actually corn syrup with food coloring. The rest of the stuff I get from studio suppliers in Hollywood. I do this as a hobby.”

When it came time for the children to be rescued, they played their roles with the aplomb of veteran actors. They wailed hysterically and screamed for help, and the ones with the word fatal taped to their shirts stretched out quietly on the lawn and closed their eyes.