More than 100 volunteers, hospital employees and local emergency responders will took part in a mock disaster drill on Friday, March 15, 2019 at Lake Huron Medical Center. The drill tested the preparedness and response of local, regional and state agencies should a real crisis occur. The event staged by Lake Huron Medical Center’s Trauma Services, Betty Falecki, focused on response plans for an actual disaster which would trigger a sudden surge of patients, media, concerned community members and the “worried well” to the hospital. The full-scale mass-casualty drill was conducted in collaboration with multiple partner agencies including Lake Huron Medical Center, Port Huron Police and Fire Departments, Tri Hospital EMS, and St. Clair County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “The goal of this exercise is to enhance working relationships and collaboration between the agencies and organizations involved,” Falecki said. “It’s a mock exercise, but it’s also a very real test of our ability to respond to an actual disaster. We appreciate the cooperation of everyone involved.” The scenario for the practice event is a simulated active shooter, who has targeted administration. Normal hospital Emergency Department operations and patient care was not affected by the drill in any way. While hospitals are required by the Joint Commission to have disaster response plans in place and conduct periodic drills for improvement and training purposes, Lake Huron Medical Center takes the healthcare safety of the community very seriously and is devoted to providing the highest quality care available in the Blue Water Area.
For more information on the programs and events at Lake Huron Medical Center, please visit www.mylakehuron.com.