MUSC responds to Tri-county disaster preparedness drill
MUSC’s part in the Aug. 20 Tri-county Disaster Preparedness Drill drew out the best in staff response and professionalism, said Alonzo Nesmith, director of Safety, Security and Volunteer Services.
Left
photo: Emergency Department nurse manager Ellen Ruja checks on victim Laura
Pace
during the Aug. 20 drill. Right photo: Admissions/Patient
Access Services coordinator Deborah Brown fastens a letter tag on the wrist
of a volunteer victim at the mass decontamination showers site located
at the patient/visitor garage. Brown and Admissions staff help admit and
identify patients by obtaining their name, birth date and other descriptive
characteristics.
The exercise allowed medical center and support service teams to react, testing its own capabilities in a mock disaster scenario involving other hospitals, and state and local service agencies.
ED's
Dr. George Bryan, center, reviews the evening’s results with Tri-county
Disaster Preparedness Drill officials Ron Puckett, of Charleston County
Emergency Management, and Jane Richter of USC.
Staffs from Critical Care and Emergency Services, Admissions/Patient Access Services, Occupational Safety and Health Programs, Public Safety, Hospital Security and Physical Plant participated in the disaster simulation along with amateur radio operators and others.
Left
photo: Department of Occupational Safety and Health environmental quality
managers Chloe Backman and Bill Seaborn suit up for the decontamination
process. Right photo: ED nurses Lori Hollowell and Kris Stegall are assisted
by Hospital Security's John Ballard, center, and Russ Hagen as they
prepare to transport a walk-in patient in front
of the Emergency Department entrance.
The medical center treated a total of 10 walk-in and medically-transported victims from a fake chemical fire set in North Charleston.
The mock drill tested the medical center’s disaster preparedness plans and staff actions, giving participants an opportunity to identify problems and make improvements.
Each year, MUSC is involved in periodic countywide disaster preparedness
drills, trainings, meetings and simulations.
Friday, Aug. 27, 2004
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