What I Learned Playing the Victim in a Mock Bombing: Info for Writers

IN THIS ARTICLE: None of the photos depict anything real; this is all MOCKed up. 

There. Right there. That's where the imaginary bomb went off. And then all hell broke loose.

For a long time, it was just us victims lying on the ground, confused and "injured."

Injuries were sorted beforehand. 

I had bilateral leg breaks, so I was non-ambulatory, but not in a life threatening situation. That's moulage on my legs - they made us up so the first-responders were better able to interpret this situation as real. You'll also see on my task sheet that I was a sixteen-year-old male and somehow also alert and following directions. I don't remember ever meeting a sixteen-year-old who was both alert and following instructions. Mostly, I get eyerolls and mumbles that sound like "no way, dude" from my sixteen-year-olds.

Let me tell you a story here about communicating in an emergency. First, I texted. You should text in an emergency so the cell towers aren't overburdened. So, good on me.

This is what I texted though:
Kid #3 has a broken ankle and head trauma. I have two broken legs.

I attached the above picture of my startlingly white legs and these photos of kid #3.

Hubby knew that #3 and I were volunteering in a mock event. He knew we'd be moulaged. He wondered what injuries they would give us. That's why I sent him the quick text. Sigh.

Hubby did not remember any of that in the middle of his national sales meeting where he received my quick text and three photos. My husband, bless him, was terrified that he was on the wrong coast when we needed him. He had a full blown adrenaline rush and horror/fear for us. I learned that we should never assume and be very very very clear in our real life communications.

In your book? The more confusion the better.

Things I learned:

• It will be a very long time before responders get themselves organized and treating people. They have to get the call and get themselves on scene. There's a hierarchy that is put in place. Organizing that has to happen. Practiced and quick, for sure, but seconds count.
• They can't send the responders in until it is deemed safe. This makes sense. If the responders are hurt, then who is there to help? The responders had to sit outside of the perimeter and wait for the bomb dogs to come and check out the area before an all-clear was called. (for some people, that was a lot of bleeding time.)
• Your character had better have some first-aid skills in their personal mental toolkit, and some supplies in their purse.
• When it's ninety degrees outside, your character will cook if you lay on the road until help gets you moved. Serious skin burns. I'm not kidding. Please remember that when you lay someone on the ground in heat or cold in your writing - save them some extra agony. Or don't. Who am I to make it easier on your characters?
• If you are ambulatory, get your character up and ambulate. Seriously. No. One. Is. Coming. They're last on the list, and they confuse the workers trying to get to those with life or death injuries. Just need to prove that character is a prima donna? Fine, leave her out their crying over her scraped knee while someone is looking for the bottom half of their leg. Character development at its clearest.
• If your characters are non-ambulatory, the responders will put them to work if they're conscious. I, for example, was next to a kid with an amputated thumb. I did my best to help him until they set up the triage tents (green, yellow, and red - indicating who gets treatment first). Then I sent him on his way. His feet worked, no need to fry him on the macadam.

 (That's a rubber thumb, and some blood gel and he tucked his real thumb and screamed bloody murder.)

• There will not be enough first aid supplies.
• There will be an insane amount of chaos; it's noisy and confusing, smoke, debris, people's belongings scattered as they escape. . .
• People who are in bombing events have the same issues they had before the bombing event. So heart patients have heart issues. Diabetics can have low blood sugar. People with mental health issues still have mental health issues. These things increase the problems.
• The first responders are human. They get hot. They get tired. They get overwhelmed. They get frustrated. 
• The hospitals divide the patients based on capacity and expertise. They may send Hubby to trauma hospital C because they can take 4 more traumas there. They may send Wifey to hospital B because they have two extra orthopedic surgeons on hand. They may send Kid #3 to the pediatric hospital because they have expertise in adolescent head trauma. Now the family has to find each of their missing members and go from hospital to hospital to talk to doctors and give support.

I hope this has given you some new insights for the mass casualty event your writing. I have other such articles available with more information about how responders respond and what it felt like to be on the receiving end of their care. Look at the top of this blog for the Out and About tab or go HERE

As always, a big thank you ThrillWriters and readers for stopping by. Thank you, too, for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

International Terrorism: Info for Writers with Cpl. Allen Norton

___________________________________________________________________________________

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

ThrillWriting is pleased to welcome back Corporal Allen Norton. Cpl. Norton graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell with a certification in Homeland Security and also graduated from Columbia Southern University with a degree in Criminal Justice. He attended the National Center for Bio-medical Research and Training through Louisiana State University and recently graduated from the University of St. Andrews, and obtained a Global Certification as a Terrorism Specialist. In addition, he is a recognized Certified Homeland Protection Professional (C.H.P.P.) Cpl Norton obtained this certification through the National
Sheriffs Association and the National Domestic
Preparedness Coalition.

Fiona - 

People have been wreaking terror across borders since time immemorial. At what point do we draw a distinction between raiding and terrorist activity?

Cpl. Norton -

When it comes to International Terrorism the oldest in existence (The Father of Modern Day Terrorism) is the Irish Republican Army or IRA. Interesting enough, they actually formed in New York City during the late 1800s as the Finian Force.

Fiona - 

When I think "terrorism" my mind jumps to the Middle East - and parts of Africa. Is that because those are our only threats, and the IRA etc. target other countries, do you think?


Cpl. Norton - 

Probably, but when it comes to the IRA more Americans willingly donate to that terrorist organization over any other. Most from the Boston-NYC region. Interestingly, you bring up the Middle East; did you know that the first terrorist organization there was Jewish?

They were known as the Irgun and very active in the 1940s against the British. One of their prime leaders was Menachem Begin. 

Fiona - 
I had no idea. So you do a lot of training in the area of terrorism, can you tell us what are the main ingredients in our "stay safe soup"? 

Cpl. Norton - 
The United States does plenty. Overseas partners with other countries (Jordan is VERY good) is vital. The CIA does a good job also.

The Terrorist Screening Center, which was established after 9/11 has become a vital tool also for the US local authorities

Fiona - 
You can check it out with this Video Quick Study. Inside a secret U.S. Terrorist Screening Center CBS News.

Cpl. Norton, if I was a writer putting a character in a situation overseas - an American citizen -  would the American government do anything to help me? Would this be public? Would they work behind the scenes? And any chance that a SEAL team might go in and save me?

Cpl. Norton - 
They would, but with politics today I guess it would matter how important the person was if it would be public or not. SEAL Teams have obviously been used before, but that is usually a last resort.

Fiona - 
When you are reading books/watching shows and movies about terror - and I know you are stepping carefully in this interview - what are the holes in the cloth of the story line. What are the writers getting wrong based on false understanding or even cinematic expedience?

Cpl. Norton - 
I think one of the biggest issues, and we discussed this in the Domestic Terrorism interview is that nothing is solved in 1-2 hours. It's not always as exciting as Hollywood or the newspapers make it seem. 

Probably one of the biggest pet peeves I have is that the investigations in shows are illegal for the most part. A lot of the techniques that people use are just impossible to use in real life, whether because you just can't or because it's illegal. Plus a lot goes into an investigation; it's not just one thing that solves an incident. It's many building blocks that add up to a case.

Fiona - 
Can we discuss the concept of terrorism as a career choice? One of the things that struck me when I attended your lecture was the educational levels of the people who are recruited.

Cpl. Norton - 
Sure, to be anything in a terrorist organization a college degree is mandatory. I'm talking bio-chemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, economic, business, etc. You pretty much have to be fluent in multiple languages. It takes a lot of smarts to run a terrorist organization or to be anything important in one.

Fiona - 
And there are perks to your enrollment. You indicated that terrorist organizations work on a business model and even have sick leave and vacation time... can you speak to that and then my question would be - do they see themselves as professional terrorists? Soldiers? What?

Cpl. Norton - 
To become a terrorist, there's an application process. They get paid vacations, holiday pay, health insurance, etc. just like we do. They also can apply for certain positions within the organization, Al-Qaeda is probably the best known group for doing all this, though others do it also.

They would consider themselves professional freedom fighters. Rarely would a terrorist ever say they are a terrorist. They actually consider us the terrorists, so it's all in the eye of the beholder.

Fiona - 
My final question for you - Can you talk about familial impact? How does being in the family of a terrorist impact life and what happens if the terrorist martyrs himself? 

Cpl. Norton -
That's a great question Fiona. It's important to realize that some of the families of members of terrorist organizations do not support them or want them to be a part of it. Look at Osama bin Ladens family, they disowned him and excommunicated him from the family because they didn't support what he was doing. That's why terrorists hide their faces, it has nothing to do with cowardice, they are just protecting their family from retaliation. Whether the family supports them or not. 

Sometimes poor families will sell their children into terrorist organizations because they need the money, food or shelter that these groups promise. Other families are promised the world if a member blows themselves up for the cause. What's amazing about terrorist organizations is when they promise a family something they always deliver, if they didn't families would stop doing what they are doing for them. So actually, a terrorist organization is very trustworthy, weird as it sounds.

Fiona - 
Was there something I missed that you're dying to tell me?

Cpl. Norton - 
When it comes to terrorist organizations Hamas has the largest infrastructure of any foreign terrorist group on US soil. They have never intentionally attacked a US civilian or installation though, they are basically here for fund raising.

There are approximately 500 different foreign terrorist organizations on the earth right now. Only 58 are recognized by the U.S.

Fiona - 
You have been unbelievable kind to help us writers write it right.

Cpl. Norton - 
Thank you so much for the time speaking with you, these three interviews have been very enjoyable. If anyone has any questions or wants up to date info that is posted, please visit our Facebook page at GDSI Intelligence and Training and like us. Information is updated regularly.

Fiona - 

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.