Monday, March 8, 2010

Mom's Acting Debut a Disaster

About two weeks ago, Mom got an email from our local neighborhood association's president headed with big red capital letters: WE NEED 11 MORE PEOPLE TO BE VICTIMS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. Mom, being Mom, was intrigued and signed up.

It turned out that the California State Military Reservists along with the San Rafael Office of Emergency Services needed volunteers to be disaster victims during a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class simulation exercise, to be held at our National Guard Armory. A large-scale earthquake would be the "event" to be simulated.
Volunteers began showing up at 10:30 yesterday morning for "moulage," the art of applying mock injuries for the purpose of training. There were four great young kids who applied all kinds of make-up to simulate injuries ranging from soup to nuts - fascinating to watch.
Volunteers chose cards of the injuries they wished to have, along with their vital signs listed, and whether they would be needing immediate attention once found by the reservists, or else delayed treatment if the wounds were superficial. The volunteers received a wonderful box lunch, which I was particularly interested in, from a fabulous restaurant nearby. Even though the following photos show us eating lunch with our fake injuries, they could make some squeamish, so stop here if you don't want to look.

Mom chose to have fallen with lower leg and back injuries. Here is some of the "moulage" done on her. She just has superficial injuries.

More injured victims in their very life-like make-up, eating lunch. Some of these volunteers laughed a lot as they chatted up a storm!

A lot of discussion on our acting roles: victims were to moan, scream and act "it" up. The CERT instructors of these Reservists really wanted the "actors" to let it all hang out. One big secret was that the Army guys had no idea that there would be a simulated earthquake and NO CLUE that there would be all those victims lying about both inside and outside the Armory grounds. There was also to be a real fire from "downed power poles" and everything had to be "handled" within half an hour besides. Whew!

Mom said thanks to me for coming and guarding her lunch, but a soldier told Dad and me that we had to leave. Then, the Volunteers' fearless leader took them all to their various and widespread stations and the drill began. They couldn't take photos, but mom said it was amazing.

The Reservists first divided up into teams of four, then put out the fire, and found all of us, spending the time necessary to assess our injuries and acting accordingly. Mom thought that her rescue team, which loaded her onto a furry tippy stretcher and carried her a long way to the "field hospital" should have been real doctors! She couldn't remember the day of the week! I think Mom's going to pursue a CERT certification herself. I hope I get to go!


33 comments:

Dexter said...

That was totally awesome. Great job for mom. I hope she moaned and groaned a lot. It would have been fun for you to participate. But I guess it is harder to do doggie makeup without shaving.

Slobbers,
Mango

The Army of Four said...

How exciting! It was cool that your mom volunteered for that!
Tail wags,
Storms

Brandon - The dog with a blog said...

Looks like a "fun" filled day!

Golden Daily Scoop said...

Hi Sammie!!! I love your new blog background and picture!!! You have a pretty awesome mom, Sammie!!! Great job!!

lotsa licks,
Miley

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Glad it was only "pretend" and not for real--I would have volunteered too, since it was a good cause! Hope your week is off to a good start!

Anonymous said...

Those injuries look so real!

Homer said...

We are sure your mom did a great job in the acting department. Perhaps we'll see her at the Oscars next year????

Love,
Homer

Elizabeth Bergesen said...

Wow, what a day for your mom!!!

Elizabeth & Luna

Life With Dogs said...

LOL! That is the kind of experience you never forget. It looks like you starred in the Thriller video...

Stella said...

Hi Sammie:

I am glad you got to go along and see what your Mom was doing, even though you couldn't stay!

Cheers for your Mom to want to do CERT training!

Kisses,
Stella

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

What a wonderful experience, we just hope it stays a simulation. We really think they should have let you participate so that the emergency responders would know how to deal with injured animals too.

Woos - Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

Great job!! And for a good cause too.

We really like the look of your blog.

XOXO
The Rocky Creek Gang

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! How great that your MOM participated in this very important event. Glad that you were able to see and have lunch with MOM. Be safe. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

Martha said...

We did laugh at all these 'wounded' people scoffing lunch!
What great fun - well done to your mom for volunteering and well done for guarding the lunch Sammie.
love and kisses
Martha and Bailey xxx

Tucker said...

Whew, thank goodness that stuff was make-up. Those injuries looked scary.

woof - Tucker

D.K. Wall said...

We think they needed a dog with fake injuries to be carried on a stretcher too. We would have volunteered if we got a free box lunch.

Sierra Rose said...

Hi! So great to see and hear about this event. Pretty amazing! Very funny lunch/moulage photo! Must have been some what of mayhem when the drill started. Sounds like everything went quite smoothly!

Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
Sierra Rose

YD, sometimes with ♥June and ♥Angel Samantha said...

Wow, that's pretty interesting stuff! Your mom did great as a vistim. :)
What about doggie victims?

Sam & June

Kari in Alaska said...

Wow it looks like awesome makeup but they should have practiced evacuating dogs :)

Molly the Airedale said...

That actually looks like fun and what a neat learning experience!
We love your new header photo, Sammie! It's just gorgeous!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

houndstooth said...

That sounds like a great afternoon! You got to have fun and the CERT people got to do some learning!

Bunny

Unknown said...

How interesting! What a fun and useful thing to do!

1000 Goldens said...

You guys are so cool! I loved the "wounded" enjoying their picnic lunch :)

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

I think woo should be next -

afterall, that's probably how Lassie got his/her start!

BTW, we just khan't stop staring at your header pikh/kholours whenever we're here!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra & Khousin Merdie

Lorenza said...

Sure it was a pawesome experience for your Mom!
She was very nice acccepting being a volunteer!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

The Musketeers said...

Wow ! What a cool experience ! Your mom is so nice and kind to volunteer ;)

Yas said...

Pawesome!!
Looks like everyone's having a great time!!
Kudos to your mom!

Cheers,
Maxx

KB said...

Very cool. I love the photos of all the people with terrible bloody injuries eating lunch and laughing!!

I don't understand why Samantha wasn't allowed. If she was walking with you during a quake, she'd be with you, and they'd have to handle her. It would have been good and realistic practice.

Paco,Milo, Maya and mommy Simona said...

OMD!!!!!!!!!!!What a great experience for you mommy....
We bet she had a wonderful time!!!!!
And she got a super special lunch with you!!!!!
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....lucky girls!!!!We're sooooooooooo sorry you wasn't allowed to stay with your mommy...
Humans must know dogs are the best helper in the disaster!!!!
Your mommy was soooo nice accepting being a volunteer such for a good cause!!!!

Ehy Sammie....you blog looks amazing wearing its new look!!!!
Well done baby!!!!!!!!!!
We think of you everyday and we miss you tons!!!!
WE LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!
Sweet kisses and licks to all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!
MUAHHHHHHHHHHHH

Infrequent Flyers said...

Yuck! Some of those wounds are very convincing! But so funny to see everyone so calmly eating lunch. How fun that Samantha got to take part.

I'm sometime pretty good at fixing PCs. If you haven't already taken your computer in, I'd be happy to try to help!

The Oceanside Animals said...

hello samantha its dennis the vizsla dog hay yikes they luk like viktims of a zombie attak or sumthing!!! if they start saying sumthing abowt brayns run for the hills!!! ok bye

Anonymous said...

Hey Sammie,
Dad says that the first thing they taught him in the Navy was NEVER VOLUNTEER but we guess that was different. Thanks to your mom for volunteering to help out. Living in a high fault area it can only pay dividends to be prepared.
- TB H&K

Augie and Ti's mom said...

That's one of the coolest things I've ever heard!