Disaster Drill a Learning Experience for Emergency Response Plans and Policies

Jefferson Hills, PA - May 20, 2011

A multidisciplinary team of administrators, medical personnel and staff members responded to a major disaster drill Thursday morning, May 19 at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. The drill, orchestrated under the direction of Del Olson, emergency preparedness coordinator and EMS manager, was designed to establish a learning environment to exercise the Medical Center’s emergency response plans, policies and procedures as they pertain to a natural hazards event.

At 9:30 a.m., an overhead announcement was heard throughout the hospital: “Code D, Level 3. This is a drill.” The Hospital Incident Command Center was activated. As the scenario played out for nearly three hours, staff members learned that a tornado had taken a devastating toll on the South Hills and mass casualties were en route to Jefferson Regional Medical Center. They had to react to various challenges such as downed power lines, an injured VIP, streets blocked by debris and false media reports.

First responders from Brentwood, Jefferson Hills and Baldwin ambulance services assisted by transporting mock patients to the Emergency Department. The patients had cards with details about their conditions, so they could be triaged and treated promptly.

Leonard Deonarine, who assisted with preparation for the disaster drill, said the goal of the event was to create a plausible exercise that would prepare the hospital to manage a real emergency with greater efficiency. At least two drills are required annually by the Joint Commission and Department of Health.

In the photo: Manuel Torres, director, Emergency Department, and David Cygan, MD, Emergency physician, evaluate and treat one of the simulated patients during the disaster drill.