From Simulation to Readiness: Sim Center Leads Rescue Training Exercise

The scene resembled the aftermath of an emergency.

First responders navigated rugged terrain. Rope rescue teams moved carefully down a more than 100-foot outcropping. Patients—portrayed by high-fidelity manikins—were assessed, stabilized, and prepared for transport.

Behind it all was our Center for Simulation, Research and Patient Safety.

Selected to lead the 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard's annual statewide training exercise, our Sim Center team designed a complex, multi-day scenario simulating a mass casualty event at Hanging Rock Park in Salem. The event brought Air Guardsmen from across the Commonwealth and beyond to the Roanoke Valley earlier this year for the opportunity to practice the kind of rapid decision-making and collaboration required in real-world crises.

“We chose to work with Carilion’s simulation center because of the team’s expertise and the realism they bring to training,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Pearce Beissinger, 192nd Medical Group Detachment-1 physician assistant. “Their ability to replicate complex, real-world scenarios makes them an ideal partner for preparing our Airmen for the challenges they may face in the field.”

From scenario design to on-site execution, the team created an immersive experience that challenged participants at every level. The site, with its wooded trails, exposed rock and elevation changes, allowed teams to encounter multiple scenarios in a single exercise, replicating the unpredictability of real incidents.

As the exercise unfolded, teams practiced rescuing patients from difficult terrain and coordinating their transport to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Every detail—from communication flow to clinical intervention—was designed to mirror the pressures of an actual emergency.

“This is exactly the kind of work our simulation center is built for,” said Matthew Adamski, director of the Sim Center, which more typically serves as a training and education resource for clinicians and students using the simulated operating rooms, intensive care units and physicians’ offices in its 14,000-square-foot facility on our Roanoke Campus and mobile “simbulance.”

In recent years, the center’s work has expanded to include partnering with outside organizations, including local police departments, Virginia State Police, and other public safety groups for training.

“These are the teams that will respond in a major emergency. If we can support that readiness through realistic training, we’re helping strengthen emergency preparedness across our region,” said Adamski.

For simulation training needs or to learn more, contact Matthew Adamski, mjadamski@carilionclinic.org.