Four Adams County organizations recently tested their ability to respond in a coordinated manner to a mass exposure of a hazardous substance in Quincy. The organizations that partnered in the planning and execution of the full-scale community emergency response exercise on July 7 included the Adams County Emergency Management Agency, Adams County Ambulance, Quincy Fire Department and Blessing Hospital.
their ability to respond in a
coordinated manner in a training drill
on Friday, July 8.
The organizations conducted a debriefing on the exercise on Friday, July 8.
“Coordinating between multiple agencies allows us to test real-world scenarios to identify opportunities for improvement in our organization’s processes and also in how we coordinate and communicate with each other,” said Christopher Solaro, MD, PhD, CPE, medical director, Quincy Area Emergency Medical Services System. Dr. Solaro is also Chief Medical Officer of Blessing Health System.
The scenario involved the exposure of around 30 adult and pediatric patients, played by community volunteers, to a hazardous substance requiring triage and treatment from on-scene emergency medical personnel along with decontamination and treatment of patients at the Blessing Hospital Emergency Department. The hazardous substance caused simulated irritation and burning to the eyes, skin, and airway. Traumatic injuries were also present with a select few mock patients.
Blessing Hospital regularly educates and trains its staff and conducts exercises covering a variety of emergency scenarios as a matter of regulatory compliance and to ensure its preparedness to respond as efficiently and effectively as possible to unexpected needs when they arise in the community, as do other emergency responders serving Adams County communities.