May 11 was a challenging day at Martin Health System.
First, there was an armed man who took a bus hostage outside Martin Medical Center, shooting wildly and killing and wounding an unknown number of people before being neutralized by the Stuart Police Department.
Mere minutes after the hastily organized hospital incident command team began to deal with that issue, a tanker truck carrying chlorine gas turned over on Interstate 95, sickening between 50 to 100 people who required immediate care and decontamination.
Shortly after, one of the injured people brought to Martin Medical Center’s emergency department began shooting out windows and at staff, before also being taken out by police.
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Carmelo Maldonado, manager of safety and security, takes notes while discussing the situation with Jeff Reese, security supervisor, and Deb Lewandowski, director of oncology services who served as operations chief in the hospital incident command team.
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Martin Health’s three emergency departments were locked down. Patients were diverted to other hospitals as the ERs reached capacity and crews worked feverishly to decontaminate people — sometimes while dodging bullets.
Finally, less than two hours after the shooting began, the all clear was given. Fortunately, there were a few minutes to collect thoughts, go through papers and check to see if the sandwiches were on their way. The day’s mayhem, it turned out, was only a drill.
Martin Health performs emergency drills at least once a year, mobilizing the hospital incident command team in order to prepare for catastrophes that hopefully will never happen. The drills have become an annual tradition since 2004 and 2005, when the health system was whacked by three hurricanes in two summers.
While Martin Health has traditionally worked with community partners in the past on such exercises, the drill on May 11 featured a more robust group of organizations — all of whom were sitting in the room as it unfolded. That included representatives from police and sheriff departments, fire rescue personnel, emergency management coordinators and county health department officials — all with an eye toward building relationships if, and when, things do go wrong.
“These kinds of drills give us a chance to see how things work and how things don’t work in these kinds of situations,” said Lt. Robert Wright of the Martin County Sheriff’s Department.
One theme that was recited throughout the post-drill survey was the need for more and better communication, both internally and between the agencies coordinating responses. Drills like this one help Martin Health develop those communication channels in advance, particularly with outside agencies it will need to partner with in times of emergency.
“It is important to build interagency communications,” said James Kammel, Deputy Director of Emergency Management for Martin County. “We all have staff, we all have tools. We often lack timely information exchange that is crucial.”
Thomas Daly, Director of Emergency Planning for the St. Lucie County Division of Emergency Management, said performing disaster drills are vital to developing appropriate responses in times of crisis.
“For hospitals, it’s important to participate in multi-disciplinary exercises,” he said. “Even if you’re not a player, just being there to observe and see how things are done is important.”
It also allows for collaboration and problem solving in times when lives are not on the line.
“Being in the room together allows us to ask some questions of each other, determine how they will respond so we know what to expect when the time comes,” said Todd Reinhold, Martin County Health Department Director. “That will pay dividends when it really counts.”
It is essential for hospitals to establish strong and effective partnerships with local and regional law enforcement, emergency management and fire rescue officials prior to any actual emergency event. Strong partnerships lead to sound planning, successful drills and an effective response to natural or man-made disaster events.
