It looked like carnage from a bus crash as bloodied passengers and dismembered limbs lay strewn all over the place. This was a simulated scene to train Samoa's first responders.

The training was a collaborative effort between the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the United States Army's medical team under the Soifua Manuia Clinic. 

The trainees delved into the roles of emergency officers and paramedics, immersing themselves in the chaos of a bus crash. The interactive exercise showcased the importance of quick thinking, effective communication, and teamwork in handling such high-pressure emergencies.

The simulation involved a mass casualty situation in a blazing building caused by a bus crash, with participants assuming the roles of panicked individuals in need of urgent assistance.

"It's all about how to respond to the stress and how you can apply the training from here to the real world when it happens. It's going to be stressful but practice makes it easier to understand what to do," said firefighter Sene Leutogi who acted as one of the injured passengers.

Kereta Samia, a commanding officer for the training division highlighted what the reality of the situation could be like and how this training provides the frontliners real-world experience, skills, and response mechanisms that can save lives.

"Anyone can be in shock naturally, but this training allows frontline workers to improve our service or strengthen our courage to face situations like these calmly," he said. 

US Army Chief Medical Officer Terry Larson with over 20 years of experience highlighted the importance of mental preparations in this types of situation. He said their mission here is to equip the local frontliners with knowledge and skills.

Captain Claudia Mcdermott, an experienced nurse shared that taking up this mission to travel to Samoa is a great investment for the local teams here.

"I'm hoping in these training that I can share as much I can to the Samoan teams here and hopefully I can help in a way that will benefit them in medical training and procedures required in any situations, especially tough ones that include a lot of people injured severely," she remarked.

When asked if the locals were well prepared to execute a stressful role, the US Army trainers said they saw a lot of potential among the team in Samoa.