St. Joseph Hospital to stage Mass Casualty Disaster Exercise

Eureka, Ca., (KIEM)

WHAT: St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka will be conducting a mass casualty disaster exercise that will test the hospital’s ability to accommodate a sudden influx of patients during an emergency.  The exercise is part of a Center for Medicaid Services (CMS) and Joint Commission requirement.  We conduct at least two disaster exercises per year where we open the Hospital Incident Command Center (HICS). This will not affect normal patient care and the emergency room will continue to take in patients as usual.

WHO: 80 hospital employees; five hospital departments – Emergency, Surgery, Facilities, Admission, Administration; 25 “victims” of a bus accident.

WHEN & WHERE: The drill will be conducted between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m on Wednesday, August 29^th at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka out front of the Emergency Department.  The patients will be transported to the hospital by ground ambulance and personal vehicles.

 WHY: Disaster preparedness helps hospitals better deal with an actual event.  Being prepared at home for a disaster is also critical for hospital readiness as resources can be limited in times of critical need.  It’s important for every family to have an emergency plan in place and to have an emergency kit ready that includes, water, food, a flashlight, blankets, a radio, cell phone charger and medications.