Learning from disaster: A major drill simulates a mass casualty event at CU Anschutz

At the first sign of morning light on Oct. 1, dozens of adults and children stood huddled together on the grassy Parade Grounds of University of Colorado Anschutz, some shivering in the pre-dawn cold, some chattering nervously or taking selfies. Several had what looked like bloody limbs; others had burned faces. One seemed to be missing a hand. These people had just come from an auditorium lobby at nearby UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (UCH), where moulage artists had slathered them with fake blood and special-effects makeup.