Emergency Evacuation Exercise Scheduled at Beebe Healthcare on October 22
Emergency Evacuation Exercise Scheduled at Beebe Healthcare on October 22
Lewes, DE (October 12, 2016) - The Division of Public Health (DPH) is conducting a full scale, emergency evacuation exercise in conjunction with Beebe Healthcare and several emergency services agencies on Saturday, October 22, using the following scenario:
A sudden wind storm (part of a severe thunderstorm) with wind speeds of up to 125 mph has knocked out the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system on the roof and damaged the roof itself, and partially collapsed a hospital building on the Savannah Road campus. This incident has resulted in a need to evacuate the building of patients and deal with approximately 10 to 20 fatalities from a portion of the brick façade of an outside wall of the hospital landing on a group of 15 people, killing most of them.
Patients will be evacuated from the Beebe Healthcare facility and sent to surrounding health care facilities within the state. The individuals being evacuated (human volunteers and manikins) will include patients from the emergency room.
The purpose of this exercise is to test the DPH, Beebe, and general emergency response systems in the state.
he specific objectives being drilled are:
· Emergency operations coordination
· Fatality management
· Information sharing for health care facilities
· Medical surge for health care facilities
· Volunteer management
· Evacuation/transfer and tracking of “volunteer” patients to other sites (either live or simulated)
Other organizations participating in the drill include the Department of Transportation, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the City of Lewes Fire Department, Sussex County Emergency Management Agency, Sussex County Emergency Medical Services, Amateur Radio Emergency Service, and Amateur Radio Relay League.
The exercise will take place on the grounds of Beebe Healthcare and inside the hospital buildings and will last throughout the course of the day.
Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.
Beebe Healthcare is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. It offers services throughout Southern Delaware for residents and visitors, including a 210-licensed-bed hospital, a cancer treatment center, and outpatient facilities providing walk-in care, lab, imaging, and physical rehabilitation services. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebehealthcare.org.
