To explore the impressions of medical assisting students who participated in a disaster simulation, research was conducted using medical assisting students at a small college in Virginia. Since the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) only recently required disaster training to be added to medical assisting curricula, no research exists which answers the research questions of whether costly simulation methodology is enjoyed by participants, leads to self-perceived confidence, or is likely to lead to volunteerism in a disaster. Based on Roy's adaptation model, caring theories of Swanson and Watson, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, specific disaster theories, and constructivism, this study investigated the use of a simulation to prepare students for disasters. Twenty-one medical assisting students from a proprietary college were observed during the simulation, asked to complete open-resource questionnaires, and interviewed. Data were collected in observation logs, questionnaires, and interview transcripts. Data analysis was conducted using thematic coding for themes of preference for method, feelings of empowerment, and tendency toward volunteerism. The major findings were that the students enjoyed the new technology, felt empowered through critical thinking, and were likely to volunteer to serve in a disaster after having received simulation training. The data supported the adaptation of students, through caring, to meet the needs of people in a disaster, by constructing appropriate behaviors. Teaching disaster mitigation with simulation methodology to medical assisting students can increase the potential for well-trained volunteers to serve the community in a disaster.