Classrooms and corridors at Rossville Schools became the staging ground for a high-stakes medical training exercise October 18–19, as emergency responders from across Clinton County drilled for one of the worst-case scenarios modern schools face: a mass-casualty attack.
The two-day session held both Saturday and Sunday beginning at 8 a.m., was an EMS-focused active-shooter response drill emphasizing rapid bleeding control and decision-making under pressure. Both student role players and mannequins were used to create realistic trauma conditions without the use of simulated gunfire.
The instruction was led by Rory Hill of Goat-Trail Austere Medical Solutions, a veteran-owned firm known for tactical medical training based on its CSR
framework, Chaos, Stabilization, Recovery — and aligned with national Stop the Bleed protocols. Participants practiced tourniquet use, wound packing, blood sweeps and triage sequencing inside classrooms, hallways and the auxiliary gym.
Clinton County EMS Director Steven Deckard oversaw the operation locally. Rossville Superintendent Dr. Jim Hanna and District Technology Director Dustin Shadbolt provided on-site support.
“I am deeply appreciative of Clinton County EMS for their proactive thinking to save lives in the tragic, large-scale events that are, unfortunately, far too common in the United States,” Dr. Hanna said. “Rossville Schools applaud the commitment of Clinton County’s medical professionals for giving their time and expertise to build readiness. We are extremely grateful to everyone who gave their weekend to make this drill successful.”
High-school role players from Rossville and Clinton Central added critical realism, allowing responders to rehearse communication, triage and patient-flow decisions in motion — practice that organizers say tightens the life-saving timeline between injury and definitive care.
Organizers reported that lessons emerged not only for paramedics and EMTs but also for school personnel, sharpening coordination, timing and decision-making on both sides. While the drill focused on an active-shooter scenario, officials noted that the takeaways apply broadly to other large-scale emergencies, including explosions, structural failures, or severe weather mass-injury events, where seconds matter and systems must work without hesitation.
Emergency vehicles and actors were visible on campus throughout the weekend. The event was pre-publicized to avoid confusion, and school grounds were closed to non-participants.
Organizers said the session is part of a growing county-wide effort to reduce preventable deaths. Additional training is already being planned to ensure all Clinton County EMS personnel receive the same level of preparation before a real-world event.