Mock disaster drill at Southwest Regional
WAYNESBURG – Southwest Regional Medical Center employees and local emergency responders will take part in a mock disaster drill from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The drill is being conducted to test evacuation and fire safety procedures at SRMC, including the ability to prepare emergency responders to respond to the evacuation of the hospital during a fire situation.
The full scale drill is being conducted in collaboration with multiple partner agencies, including Greene County Emergency Management Agency, EMS Southwest, Greene County sheriff’s office, Waynesburg/ Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company and Metropolitan Medical Response System – PA Region 13.
The drill scenario is that a fire has broken out at the Center for Recovery and Wellness-Inpatient Services unit on the fourth floor.
Hospital employees and others will act as the patients who need to be evacuated due to a fire. This exercise will also test communications and coordination with hospitals in southwestern Pennsylvania.
The purpose of this exercise is to provide participants with an opportunity to evaluate current response concepts, plans and capabilities for responding to a disaster that occurs in the community while identifying possible gaps or areas for potential improvement. The exercise will focus on emergency responder coordination, critical decision making, and integration of state and federal and local assets necessary to save lives and protect the public following a major event.
Organizers caution that the event is a significant exercise and the local community can expect to see emergency responders at Southwest Regional Medical Center looking and acting as if it were a true disaster.
Normal hospital emergency department operations and patient care will not be affected by the drill in any way.
In addition to being an excellent community planning process, the drill is also a requirement by The Joint Commission.
For more information regarding this exercise, contact Mike Onusko, ethics and compliance officer at 724-627-2532 or Joy Eggleston, senior public affairs officer at 724-627-2656.