All North Sanpete schools

will receive triage bags

By Marcy Curtis

Staff writer

1-20-2021

MT. PLEASANT—North Sanpete schools recently received an important addition to help them prepare for an emergency.

The North Sanpete School District along with the help of Greg Peterson, Shauna Rawlinson and Dr. Allan Day and his clinic, all coordinated and put together emergency triage bags for each school.

“This is just one piece of our goal to prepare each school for an emergency,” said Superintendent Nan Ault.

Greg Peterson, the district resource officer and Shauna Rawlinson, a district nurse, meet with principals in the district once a month to review aspects of preparedness and to keep the conversation going. The bags are for the schools to use in any type of emergency. Each one is equipped with wheels so that any teacher or staff member can easily transport the bag to anywhere it needs to be in the school.

“These bags have enough tools to treat any emergency,” said Rawlinson. “Hopefully they are never needed, but we are prepared if we do. It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”

The bags are very full. They have many basic materials in them and some pretty specific tools. In addition to a lot of bandaging, there are rinse trays, sheers, pen lights, stethoscopes, antibacterial rinse, bag-valve-masks, cold and hot packs, neck collars, splints, casting materials, tourniquets, space blankets, water, masks and so much more.

These medical supplies can also be used to supplement Emergency Medical Services in case of a larger scale emergency.

“I have had my own children come through this district with a few still in school,” stated Rawlinson. “Sometimes I would hear of shootings or catastrophe’s somewhere and wonder what our schools would do in an emergency.”

These nationwide incidents started the thought process a few years ago by then high school principal Ault. She was more than willing to help and support when approached again by Peterson and Rawlinson.

In the next couple weeks Rawlinson and Peterson will go into each school, empty the bags and go through them with the teachers.

“I know when I first started on the ambulance it was overwhelming how much I needed to learn and it was vital I was comfortable using the supplies, said Rawlinson. “A big part of the training will be to make sure the teachers and staff members are comfortable using the bags and all that is in them.”

Dr. Allen Day from Revere Health in Mt. Pleasant and Alyssa Madsen played a huge role in making sure these bags were filed with what was needed. COVID made it tough for just the average person to get the items needed, but with their help all the items were attained. The goal by everyone involved was to make sure everything to keep students and staff safe were included.

“COVID has taught us it is important to continue to move forward with good things,” said Rawlinson. “We wanted to show the community that every part of the students’ school experience is important and the district is constantly working on many good things.  COVIS did not slow us down!”