By Amy Cherry

Staff Writer

During the recent mock disaster drill held on Monday evening, area emergency personnel utilized a mock airplane constructed  specifically for the event. 

Utilizing a donated ATA bus body, the plane took approximately two weeks to construct according to the plane’s creator Tom Kerchinski, an assistant fire chief, Elk County Hazmat team leader and Elk Regional Health Center director of facilities and disaster preparedness official.

Kerchinski worked with a small group of adult volunteers including Eagle Scout Kelly Shaffer.

While transforming the bus into a plane, workers utilized plywood to create wings and cover the body of the bus.

He noted that local Boy Scouts have played an integral part in the mock drills throughout the past several years, typically volunteering as accident victims ranging from construction workers, pilots and passengers.

“The experience allows them to see things first-hand and meet new people,” Kerchinski said.

As a former Boy Scout leader, Kerchinski said its important to make the event interesting enough that the scouts will want to come back next year.

“It gets them exposed to real life situations and become better adults. It helps them become a part of the solution, not the problem,” said Mike Bauer, fellow Hazmat team leader and Boy Scout merit badge counselor.