News
Beebe Medical Center Plans Disaster Drill on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009
09/26/09
Beebe Medical Center, as part of its ongoing efforts to prepare for disasters and emergencies, is planning a disaster drill to take place at 8 a.m., Saturday, October 17, on the hospital grounds at Savannah Road in Lewes.
The drill scenario will represent the possible impact of a hazardous materials event on Beebe Medical Center that has occurred somewhere else in the community. While local and state hazardous materials emergency teams would rush to the scene in a real situation, it is anticipated that many victims would present themselves to the hospital in need of care.
In the drill, Beebe Medical Center staff will test their response to such a situation. JROTC cadets from Cape Henlopen High School will portray victims that arrive at the Emergency Department suffering mock symptoms of an unknown chemical exposure and in need of medical assistance and decontamination.
Those taking part in the drill will be Beebe Medical Center staff and representatives from the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Sussex County Emergency Medical Services, Sussex County Emergency Operations Center, and local police and fire departments.
We want to make sure that we are prepared for any disaster that occurs in our community, including one that deals with hazardous materials, says Cheryl Littlefield, RN, Trauma and Emergency Management Coordinator for Beebe Medical Center. This particular drill is designed to test the preparedness of our new hazardous materials emergency response team. We will be working together with local fire and police departments, as well as county and statewide emergency medical and hazardous materials personnel so that there would be a coordinated response if such a disaster were to affect our entire community.
Observers from the community will see fire engines, police vehicles, and other signs of emergency activity. During the drill, Beebe Medical Center will continue to operate normally and patient care will not be affected. No neighbor properties will be involved.
Beebe Medical Center also utilizes Everbridge, a mass notification system used by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross and endorsed by the American Hospital Association. The system allows the hospital to contact each employee and physician associated with the medical center by cell phone, pager, home phone, text or email within a matter of minutes. Messages to the employees or physicians will contain notification of the event and what is expected of them at that time. Questions should be directed to Cheryl Littlefield at (302) 645-3100, ext. 5192.
Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebemed.org
|
