Cape Cod Hospital Schedules Disaster Drill

Cape Cod Hospital Schedules Disaster Drill for October 10, 2007

HYANNIS - Cape Cod Hospital, in partnership with Hyannis Fire Department and in conjunction with police and fire personnel from throughout Cape Cod, has scheduled a Disaster Drill for Wednesday, October 10. The drill revolves around a fire/explosion of unknown origin occurring on the top floor of the new Mugar Building at the hospital. It will involve numerous fire apparatuses and dozens of trucks, as rescue personnel stage patients to do a vertical-to-horizontal evacuation of the hospital.

“This drill will help ensure that we are ready to respond to any emergency at the hospital with greater efficiency, better coordination and more effective communication.” - Hyannis Fire Department Deputy Chief Dean Melanson

The drill has been scheduled as part of the hospital’s overall Emergency Preparedness Plan. The plan outlines a structure and a standard way of pulling people and resources together no matter what the emergency is, including hurricanes, terrorism and bioterrorism. The hospital will follow the nationally-accepted Incident Command System (ICS) protocols throughout the course of the drill. ICS is a system based on proven management principles and structure which can be applied during any emergency.

Several smoke generators will be used as part of the drill and smoke will be seen coming from the top floor of the Mugar Building, which does not yet house patients. The drill will be conducted with as little impact as possible on the rest of the hospital and in the surrounding neighborhoods.

“Training such as this is an important part of ensuring that the hospital operates as effectively and as efficiently as we can when a real emergency happens,” said Margy Hanson, Chief Operating Officer at Cape Cod Hospital. “Working with local police and fire personnel helps ensure that our response to an emergency is as strong and as coordinated as possible.”

“This drill will help ensure that we are ready to respond to any emergency at the hospital with greater efficiency, better coordination and more effective communication,” added Hyannis Fire Department Deputy Chief Dean Melanson.

Cape Cod is a partner within Cape Cod Healthcare, a comprehensive, regional healthcare system spanning the entire Cape. Cape Cod Healthcare is the leading provider of healthcare services for residents and visitors of Cape Cod. With more than 450 physicians, 4,500 employees and 1,100 volunteers, Cape Cod Healthcare has two-acute care hospitals, the largest home health services agency on the Cape (VNA), a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, an assisted living facility and numerous health programs. For more information, visit Cape Cod Healthcare’s web site at www.capecodhealth.org.

Courtesy of Cape Cod Healthcare.