Both John C. Lincoln Hospitals in Phoenix joined more than 20 hospitals in the Valley and numerous state and local agencies to evaluate how different organizations would respond in a crisis.
The Coyote Crisis Campaign evaluated patient overload, mass casualty management, forensic evidence collection, family notification and reunification, and communication between agencies, according to Andrea Lawless, MBA, PMP, section chief of Education and Exercise, Public Health Emergency Preparedness for the Arizona Department of Health.
More than 1,000 volunteers played different roles across the county, and "victims" were moulaged with injuries ranging from minor to severe to fatal and sent to hospitals because of a mock explosion at Arizona State University.
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| A "victim" is moulaged before the crisis drill at John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital in Phoenix. |
At John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital, hospital staff took care of every "victim" appropriately despite difficulty getting medical information from the field.
"They triaged accurately and the 'victims' received the care they needed, even with limited information," said Jeff Tschetter, RN, BSN, BCEN, clinical director of emergency services at North Mountain.
"It went really well. We tested systems we have never tested before," added Lori Moxon, RN, BSN, emergency preparedness coordinator for North Mountain. "The staff did an excellent job in participating."
North Mountain also is one of 11 hospitals set up to care for burn victims in the event of a disaster. North Mountain doctors and nurses can communicate via video, called telemedicine, in real time with the Arizona Burn Center at the Maricopa Medical Center.
Lyn Warder, a hospital volunteer and the mock burn victim in the test, was impressed with the technology, she said.
At John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital, volunteers and the Daisy Mountain Fire Department made the drill as realistic as possible. Communications were part of the test, and early in the drill, the staff moved the command center because the radios did not work as well in the room.
"We learned a lot by participating in this drill, and it was definitely a worthwhile activity for all of us," said Robin Anglin, RN, emergency preparedness coordinator at Deer Valley.
In the event of a real emergency, the federal, state, tribal and local authorities offered these basic precautions to improve personal preparedness and safety:
- Prepare yourself and your family for situations that may be beyond your control. Each individual and family should have a plan to respond to any type of unexpected emergency and an emergency supply kit that holds important items such as food, water, medicines, blankets, important medical information and other documents.
- Remain vigilant. Be alert, attentive and observant of your surroundings.
- Copy emergency names and phone numbers from your cell phone in case you are unable to charge your cell phone.
Visit ready.gov for more information on preparing for an emergency situation. |