A&M Students Participate in 17th Annual Disaster Day Training Simulation
The event, known for providing hands-on disaster response experience, brought together over 700 students from various disciplines to practice essential emergency skills before they begin their careers.
Christine Kaunas, assistant vice president for Interprofessional Practice, education and research at Texas A&M University Health Science Center, emphasized the significance of the event, saying, 'We have over 700 students this year who are coming together to learn about disaster response, practice disciplinary skills, and also practice collaborative skills that will help them in a disaster.'
According to Kaunas, Disaster Day is the nation's largest interprofessional, student-led emergency response simulation, designed to prepare students for real-world challenges.
Madeleine Bradford, a second-year pharmacy student, shared her experience from participating in Disaster Day for the second time.
'Disaster Day has really taught me that no matter what, you're capable—even if you think you aren't. You might have to think on your feet, and things might come at you that you aren't expecting. But as long as you work closely with the people around you and just have passion for what you're doing, you'll be able to make a positive impact on the community,' Bradford said.
Texas A&M partners with national, state, and local entities, along with industry partners, and more to make the simulation as realistic as possible for students. This collaboration helps ensure that participants gain valuable experience in responding to emergencies at all levels.
Students acted as both disaster patients and medical professionals while navigating through a simulated train derailment with complications arising from a hazardous materials spill. With military assistance the student patients were rescued from the destroyed areas and taken with the medical professional students to receive care to their wounds.
While some students return to the simulation with excitement, first-year students like Marion Posner, a first-year medical student, entered the event unsure of what to expect. 'I'm a little nervous to think on my feet again. This is brand new to me, but I think we have a lot of great faculty and staff who'll guide us and help us on this journey,' Posner said.
With each passing year, Disaster Day continues to prepare the next generation of emergency response leaders, equipping them to step up and meet the challenges of tomorrow's disasters.
For more information on Disaster Day, you can click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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