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Beebe drill results in hospital 'evacuation'

Dozens take part in Oct. 22 training exercise
October 28, 2016

A sudden ferocious wind storm with gusts up to 125 mph hits the Lewes area.

One of those gusts makes a direct hit on Beebe Healthcare Center on Savannah Road. A wall collapses on a group of 15, fatally injuring many. In addition, the hospital's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and roof are damaged, shutting down the system throughout the facility.

The structural stability of the facility is in question.

Hospital officials make an unprecedented decision: Patients and staff must be evacuated.

While the situation was made up, the Oct. 22 training exercise coordinated by the state's Division of Public Health was about as close to real-life as could be.

The evacuation of dozens of patient volunteers to Beebe's Bookhammer Outpatient Center along Route 24 was a test to evaluate the response not only by Beebe staff but also the Division of Public Health and other emergency response systems in the area and state.

After patients were transported to the Route 24 facility, staff triaged each one for possible transport to other area hospitals.

“Do your job as trained and make it as real as possible,” said Cheryl Hopple, Beebe's emergency training coordinator, during a pre-exercise briefing of staff.

She thanked the dozens of nurses and other staff who volunteered their time.

“This is the first time we are moving patients out of a hospital. This is monumental,” said Betty Decker of the Division of Public Health.

The “patients” she is referring to were actually volunteers who each had a file describing the reason they were in the hospital. It was up to nurses to identify each patient with an evacuation tag to keep track of them as they were moved out of the hospital. They also had to determine which patients could not be safety moved, including anyone going into labor.

Other agencies and organizations participating in the drill included City of Lewes Fire Department, Sussex County mobile command unit, Sussex County Emergency Medical Services, Delaware Department of Transportation, Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Sussex County Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Sussex County Amateur Radio Relay League.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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