Four students "critically injured," six others with "symptoms of respiratory problems" tested emergency preparedness procedures Thursday afternoon in Park Rapids.
Park Rapids Area High School, North Memorial Ambulance and St. Joseph's Area Health Services collaborated in the exercise.
According to Dennis Mackedanz, North Ambulance manager, the scenario involved a small school bus hitting a truck and anhydrous ammonia tank that were pulling out of a field west of Park Rapids and onto a highway.
First to arrive at St. Joseph's were six students, who were coughing, a sign of respiratory problems.
The students were immediately run through a decontamination tent set up alongside the emergency ramp at the hospital. Staff covered head-to-toe with protection gear, including face masks, washed down the students one at a time.
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The four critically injured students arrived by ambulance. Mackedanz said exhaust fans would have been turned on in the rig to vent the anhydrous fumes.
These students were bundled in "cocoons" but also were run through the decontamination tent.
Once rinsed, students were taken to the emergency room to be "treated" with a respiratory therapist aiding the first six students.
Last week, Mackedanz, Chris Broeker and others attended a three-day regional training session at Mahnomen on incident command structure and response.
The training and equipment were provided with Homeland Security grant funds.
