Area hospital prepared in case disaster strikes

ARCATA – We’re learning more about the North Coast’s capacity to handle an emergency like the fires to the south.
Mad River Community Hospital recently trained for a mass casualty event with thirty patients arriving in rapid succession. Staff practiced deploying resources and working with fire and law enforcement personnel. The drill provided an opportunity to build relationships with first responders which could prove to be vital if disaster strikes.
The State of California has also designated the hospital as a Level IV Trauma Center which means it has the staff, expertise and policies in place to handle incidents like a tsunami, earthquake or fire.
And though the North Coast is somewhat isolated, emergency preparedness officials say they work in partnership with other agencies to ensure the best results.
Angelina Gregorio, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Mad River Community Hospital, said, “While we’re not a very large facility, we do have access to all the other facilities in this area. The hospital doesn’t operate in a vacuum. We work as part of a larger network that collaborates with other health care facilities, other emergency institutions and we train together so that we can be prepared for different types of emergencies that might come our way.”