Law enforcement, emergency responders team up in disaster drill - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

On Tuesday, the parking lot outside of St. Luke's looked calm, but that wasn't the case on the inside.

Local law enforcement and emergency responders teamed up with St. Luke's Regional Medical Center for a disaster drill, mimicking an armed robbery inside one of its physician centers.

"My adrenaline was pumping and next thing I know, blood is dripping down my face and everyone is screaming," said Montana Haggerty, a mock victim.

In the scenario, a gunman on the third floor of the hospital began firing shots across the room. Police and a SWAT team responded.

"Then the police came and that made him even more nervous. So, he took a bunch of the wounded and held them hostage," said Haggerty.

In the drill, SWAT team members went in the back of the building, in order to communicate with the gunman.

That also allowed them to rescue several of the shooting victims. Victims with the most extensive damage were sent straight to the emergency room. St. Luke's staff members say this exercise was all about becoming a better team.

"What we're looking at is one, this type of situation can happen in one of our buildings, but then it's also the response side of actually caring for gunshot victims in a mass number," said Christie Finnegan, a spokesperson for St. Luke's Regional Medical Center.

Students from St. Luke's College role-played during the drill. In this scenario, the gunman targeted people that he knew.

Crews knew ahead of time that a disaster would be simulated, but only learned the day of the drill what they would face. That way, they'd respond as they would if the situation were real.