September 15, 2007
EMT Insturctor Bill O’Brien, center, brings volunteer patient Mary Weiss into the Emergency Room.
Hospital runs drill for emergency response
On the morning of Wednesday, August 29th, the YKHC Infectious Disease Outbreak Team conducted a local pandemic influenza emergency response drill to test preparedness levels at the Bethel Hospital.
The drill allowed personnel to walk through an emergency situation, activate the corporate Emergency Management System, test communication abilities, simulate staffing shortages, and patient flow.
“The drill was both challenging and frustrating,” said Dr. Joe Klejka, Corporate Medical Director. “It allowed us to identify our strengths and weaknesses and improve our emergency response.”
“As the only regional health care facility serving nearly 30,000 people, it is vital that we are prepared to respond to any emergency situation that may affect our ability to provide health care services,” said Health Services Vice President Jack Robert Crow. “As a Joint Commission Accredited Health Care Organization it is our responsibility to prepare for an emergency, or disaster at our hospital, by regularly conducting exercises to test our emergency response.”
Thanks to volunteers who assisted in the drill:
Danica Broerman
Julia Street
Mary Devlin
Sally Abbott
Christopher Samuelson
Lela Andrew
Mary Weiss
Cher Wilson
Evelina Achee
Gracie Nelson
Kelsey Hustedt
Brek Steele
Jennifer Dobson
Tim Struna, PHN
McCann Center Youth
COB EMT Staff: Darby Shaw, Louise Russell and Bill Howell