The Humboldt Broncos bus crash weighed heavily on the minds of those participating in a mass casualty simulation staged at Sarnia's Progressive Auto Sales Arena Thursday morning.
The scenario helps provide Lambton College paramedics, police, fire, nursing and social service worker students with hands-on training.
Lambton College Paramedic Program Coordinator Ray Pettigrew.
Paramedic Program Coordinator Ray Pettigrew says the tragedy in Saskatchewan brought a new sense of reality to the drill.
"It's something emergency responders have to prepare for and they never know when it's going to happen," says Pettigrew. "It's been on everybody's hearts and minds over the last week. I think actually, from the student perspective, they've really taken it to heart and are realizing how important it [the simulation] is and why we do it. It's really an important part of their individual progress."
16 people have died as a result of the highway crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team, while another 13 were injured.
Pettigrew says their hearts go out to everyone impacted.
"It's a real-life situation that really tugs at everyone's heartstrings," he says. "Our sympathy goes out to all of those people."
Members of Lambton OPP and Lambton EMS also participated in the simulation, which involved a Zamboni driver hitting a natural gas line causing an explosion.
Great Lakes Secondary School drama students played the part of victims requiring various degrees of care.