As emergency responders, we know seconds count when disaster strikes. Today, communities are making great strides in preparing for the unexpected – severe weather events, transportation accidents or a mass casualty event.

That’s why pre-positioned resources increase response time and can decrease further injuries and mostly importantly save lives.

“This resource has the potential for huge community benefit,” Anita Guffey, director, Emergency Management, Carle Foundation Hospital and State of Illinois Region 6 Coordinator said. “This is already is use at regional events like Mahomet Street Fest. If it’s already on site at large scale gatherings, it’s a huge leg up for first responders or laypersons with some basic First Aid training in getting help to people fast.” read more

A rash of recent bomb threats to area healthcare institutions has heightened awareness and deepened discussion about bomb threat protocols.

In August, Urbana’s Carle Foundation Hospital and Decatur’s Memorial and St. Mary’s hospitals all received bomb threats within a week. Although the Urbana and Decatur callers appear unrelated, the organizations responded similarly with success.

Carle Security and local police, including canine units, turned up nothing suspicious at the Urbana campus. The Urbana campus closed briefly to incoming visitors and cancelled some patient appointments. By 6 p.m., all operations returned to normal. read more

Midwest winters bring snow, ice, freezing rain or sleet, wind and extremely cold temperatures – sometimes all at once. The countdown may be on for spring, 56 days if you’re curious, but winter weather emergencies continue to affect our communities.

Take a few minutes to prepare (or repack) winter survival kits for your home and car. Unpredictable and rapidly changing conditions can make difficult travel difficult during the course of the day.

“Just because it’s clear when you leave for work or school, doesn’t mean your return trip will go off without a hitch,” said Dan Ensign, Coles County Emergency Management Agency. “Even traveling within the State just a few dozen miles can have a drastic change in conditions, so it’s best to prepare.”

Monitor National Weather Service advisories and warnings. Pay attention to the main threat from the storm such as blowing and drifting snow, extreme cold or slippery roadways. Other helpful tips will keep you safe this winter.

• Dress properly
• Pack (or replenish) a go-kit for traveling
• Know the warning signs of cold-related illnesses

DRESS WARMLY

Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothes. Dress in layers when you do go outside. Be sure to cover your head, feet, nose, ears and fingers. Outer layers and footwear should be waterproof. Those working outside should carry an extra set of dry clothes in case they get wet.

Mittens or gloves should be snug at your wrist preventing air, water and snow from getting inside. Hats and hoods prevent loss of body heat. A facemask or scarf covers the nose. Wool socks keep feet dry and warm.

“The trapped air between the layers insulates and keeps you warmer,” Ensign said, “Remove layers if you’re hot to avoid sweating and getting chilled.”

PACK A GO-KIT

If traveling, make sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas and pack a go-kit. Minimally, the kit should include:

• Battery jumper cable
• Flashlight
• Blanket
• Fully charged cell phone
• An overnight kit consisting of a change of work clothes, sleeping clothes, a toothbrush, toothpaste and medication you may require

“I recommend water and snacks on hand in case it takes some time for help to arrive,” said Karen Feldkamp, Emergency Preparedness coordinator, Effingham County Health Department and president, Champaign Region Healthcare Coalition.

“Other tools to consider are a shovel, windshield scraper, a small broom, salt or sand and a tow chain or rope,” she said.

KNOW THE SIGNS – Frostbite and hypothermia

Be alert to the signs of weather-related illnesses such as hypothermia and frostbite.

The signs of frostbite include

freezing of a body part like fingers, toes, nose, ears

pale yellow or white skin

skin feels like pins and needs – itching, stinging, or burning

blue or black skin in more advanced stages

read more

For most healthcare organizations located in the mid-west, tornados are one of our greatest vulnerabilities.

Tornado watches and warnings come often and because we are so accustomed to hearing these announcements, many of us become apathetic to responding in an effective manner to the threat.

Apathy creates mistakes. In the healthcare setting, a mistake may create injuries or loss of life. Below are a few tips to engage your staff in embracing the importance of tornado preparedness and their specific duties to react/respond to the event.

Include tornado warning preparedness presentations in department staff meetings

• Training given to individual departments will help them identify their department specific plans such as:
  • Tornado Shelter location
  • Primary and Secondary Evacuation Route
  • Total Evacuation Meeting Location
  • Process for Staff Accountability after an Evacuation

  Conduct a department specific functional drill using staff as mock victims for evacuation

  • Practice your evacuation equipment with the staff and allow them to as mock victims so they may understand how it feels for a patient to be transported down stairs in an evacuation device

  Present a Tornado Table-top exercise to you emergency preparedness committee or your organization’s leadership

• Questions presented with inject in the table-top will get the group to consider if enough is being done to prepare
• A sample tornado table-top exercise is attached to this document
  • You may edit as necessary to fit your needs

  read more

It’s an unfortunate fact that due to design, access, and type of services rendered, most hospitals are extremely vulnerable to an active shooter event. They are susceptible because they typically have several open entrances to the building, the building is open 24 hours per day, many people are in the building, and like many other businesses, hospitals may have disgruntled employees, patients, or family members who are looking for revenge.

Active Shooter planning and preparedness is paramount in increasing an environment of safety for hospital staff, visitors, and patients. Because an active shooter event is typically over is less than 7 minutes, hospitals cannot afford to simply wait on police to arrive before they take actions. Time waiting may equate to lives lost. Therefore, it is vital that all hospitals engage in active shooter planning, training, and exercising.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a guide to help healthcare facilities with active shooter planning (.pdf). This guide is intended to assist healthcare organization with incorporating active shooter incident plans into their Emergency Operations Plan.

Safety experts from around the world agree that if an active shooter event occurs, persons in the danger zone basically have 3 choices to make. Those choices are: Run, Hide, or Fight.

These experts advise that if possible, the best option is to run away from the danger. If that isn’t possible, hide as best as you can and if in a room, barricade the door and turn off the lights. If both options 1 and 2 are impossible and you find yourself face to face with the shooter, you have no choice but to fight for your life.

Begin planning as soon as possible. Invite your local police department to meetings and exercises. Educate your staff on Run, Hide, or Fight. Exercise often and identify areas for improvement in you plan.

Attached is an Active Shooter Table-Top Power Point Presentation exercise.

Remember, the fewer people in the danger zone, the fewer the casualties.

<download the .ppt slide show here>

References:

• FBI.gov
• California Hospital Association
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Incorporating Active Shooter Incident Planning into Health Care Facility Emergency Operations Plans, Washington, DC, 2014.

 

It’s that time of year again, when the temperatures drop and snow begins to fall. That means it’s time to make a winter weather plan.

As you know, our patients depend on us in both the pre-hospital and hospital settings. We are often faced with extreme cold and heavy snowfall. But the truth is illness and injury do not cease in bad weather. Because our community and patients depend on us, it is important that we as healthcare providers develop a personal winter weather plan to optimize our ability to arrive to our work locations safely.

If your organization uses an emergency notification system to send important messages to employees, make sure you are signed up to receive those messages. Many county emergency management agencies also host an emergency alert system. Find out how to ensure you receive those messages as well.

Develop an alternate child care plan in case your child’s school is closed.

You should also develop a on a Go-Kit for your car. Minimally, the kit should include the following:

• Battery jumper cables
• Flashlight
• Blanket
• Fully charged cell phone
• An overnight kit consisting of a change of work clothes, sleeping clothes, a toothbrush, toothpaste and medication you may require

We value you and the work you do for your patients and your community. It is important that during severe weather, you make every safe effort to come to work. I hope this email helps you ready yourself for another Midwest winter.

For many years hospitals have used emergency code terms to announce emergencies within the hospital and within the community that may affect the hospital. Currently, there are no regulatory standards for these codes so many hospitals make up their own. They are confusing, and ambiguous. The use of plain language is obvious and transparent to all. Transparency in a crisis situation is paramount for effective emergency notification and the safety of our staff, patients and visitors.

Download the » regional disaster plan word document « today!