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Source: http://www.siftingsherald.com/articles/2008/06/27/news/news1.txt
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Hospitals practice response to pandemic, tornado strike
By Donna Loyd Hilton
Published: Friday, June 27, 2008 1:49 PM CDT
Imagine a pandemic illness and a tornado striking a community in a single day. That was the scenario for a disaster drill hosted by the Southwest Arkansas Regional Hospital Association. Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia and hospitals in surrounding counties participated in Monday's exercise.
The drill began at about 9 a.m., with several hospitals reporting many patients in their emergency rooms with stomach-related illnesses. It was later determined that the patients had shigellosis, a form of dysentery, which causes fever, diarrhea and stomach cramping.
As the hospitals treated the patients, a tornado warning was issued for first one community, then the next. In Baptist's scenario, several patients being treated for shigellosis had to be moved to an alternate care site to make room for persons injured in a tornado which "hit" Alpine and Amity. Baptist also had to take in patients from other communities, where the hospitals were overwhelmed with shigellosis patients and those injured by tornadoes.
This was the first such drill organized by the Southwest group of hospitals, said Greg Stubblefield, administrator of Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia. Choosing to participate was a good idea, he said.
"I wanted to make sure our staff knows how to respond to a disaster and a pandemic at the same time. We did really well," he said at the completion of the exercise.
Among the skills tested was the transfer of stable patients to an alternate care site, which means the alternate site needed to be ready with staff and supplies before patients were moved.
By moving stable patients to an alternate site, the emergency room is freed for incoming patients injured by the tornadoes, Stubblefield said. "It's a way of pushing us to make sure we have enough staff, supplies and equipment," he said.
The exercise also tested a new electronics communication system, called the Tandberg system, which connected all the hospitals and the Department of Health together via video. Each site could see and hear the other participants in various locations around the region through a television monitor.
Jim Burns, director of Clark County's Office of Emergency Management, also participated in the exercise. "It was a way for us to test the AWIN," the Arkansas Wireless Information Network and other communication systems, Burns said.
Although the AWIN system worked well, there were problems with the Tandberg and alternate communication systems.
The Tandberg did not function properly at the Arkadelphia site until 30 minutes before the exercise ended. A HAM radio, planned to be used as a backup form of communication, manned by a volunteer, was not working during the exercise.
However, all participants were able to stay in contact with each other via AWIN's dedicated channels, known as Mutual Aid Channels and by telephone and cell phone.
"That's the whole purpose of an overlap in communications," said Steve Maxwell, Baptist's director of Emergency Services.
Overall, the drill was considered a success.
"We had little quirks here and there, but all in all, it was a good exercise," Burns said.
Drills such as the one Thursday are important, Burns said.
"We have exercises so we'll know what to do when things happen."
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Hospitals practice response to pandemic, tornado strike
By Donna Loyd Hilton
Published: Friday, June 27, 2008 1:49 PM CDT
Imagine a pandemic illness and a tornado striking a community in a single day. That was the scenario for a disaster drill hosted by the Southwest Arkansas Regional Hospital Association. Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia and hospitals in surrounding counties participated in Monday's exercise.
The drill began at about 9 a.m., with several hospitals reporting many patients in their emergency rooms with stomach-related illnesses. It was later determined that the patients had shigellosis, a form of dysentery, which causes fever, diarrhea and stomach cramping.
As the hospitals treated the patients, a tornado warning was issued for first one community, then the next. In Baptist's scenario, several patients being treated for shigellosis had to be moved to an alternate care site to make room for persons injured in a tornado which "hit" Alpine and Amity. Baptist also had to take in patients from other communities, where the hospitals were overwhelmed with shigellosis patients and those injured by tornadoes.
This was the first such drill organized by the Southwest group of hospitals, said Greg Stubblefield, administrator of Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia. Choosing to participate was a good idea, he said.
"I wanted to make sure our staff knows how to respond to a disaster and a pandemic at the same time. We did really well," he said at the completion of the exercise.
Among the skills tested was the transfer of stable patients to an alternate care site, which means the alternate site needed to be ready with staff and supplies before patients were moved.
By moving stable patients to an alternate site, the emergency room is freed for incoming patients injured by the tornadoes, Stubblefield said. "It's a way of pushing us to make sure we have enough staff, supplies and equipment," he said.
The exercise also tested a new electronics communication system, called the Tandberg system, which connected all the hospitals and the Department of Health together via video. Each site could see and hear the other participants in various locations around the region through a television monitor.
Jim Burns, director of Clark County's Office of Emergency Management, also participated in the exercise. "It was a way for us to test the AWIN," the Arkansas Wireless Information Network and other communication systems, Burns said.
Although the AWIN system worked well, there were problems with the Tandberg and alternate communication systems.
The Tandberg did not function properly at the Arkadelphia site until 30 minutes before the exercise ended. A HAM radio, planned to be used as a backup form of communication, manned by a volunteer, was not working during the exercise.
However, all participants were able to stay in contact with each other via AWIN's dedicated channels, known as Mutual Aid Channels and by telephone and cell phone.
"That's the whole purpose of an overlap in communications," said Steve Maxwell, Baptist's director of Emergency Services.
Overall, the drill was considered a success.
"We had little quirks here and there, but all in all, it was a good exercise," Burns said.
Drills such as the one Thursday are important, Burns said.
"We have exercises so we'll know what to do when things happen."
