Ledger-Dispatch

By Bethany A. Monk (bmonk@ledger-dispatch.com) =

Medical professionals participate in an = emergency=20 preparedness drill at Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson Wednesday. = At this=20 station, participants practice decontaminating patients, = represented by=20 blue dummies like the one photographed here, to learn how to = safely wash=20 agents from people.

Photo by: Bethany A. = Monk

These "practice patients," each labeled = with an=20 injury status, helped health care professionals participating in=20 Wednesday's emergency preparedness training at Sutter Amador = Hospital=20 learn how to safely handle and decontaminate potential victims of = a=20 bioterrorism incident.

Photo by: Bethany A.=20 Monk
He told them there had just been a = release of=20 an unknown chemical in the area. The 30 medical professionals from the = county=20 and surrounding areas then donned their silver protective gear and = rushed to the=20 scene of a mock emergency situation.

Richard Murdock of Mountain = Valley=20 Emergency Medical Services was one of the facilitators on hand at Sutter = Amador=20 Hospital Wednesday for a mass casualty training exercise, which took = place=20 outside on the blacktop near the hospital's emergency room from 8 a.m. = until=20 about 5 p.m.

The hospital, in partnership with Mountain Valley = Emergency=20 Medical Services, the Amador County Office of Emergency Services and = county=20 public health department, hosted the three-day training July 28 through = July 30.=20 Thirty-two people participated, including medical and administrative=20 professionals from the hospital and long-term care facilities, = professionals=20 from Jackson Rancheria and other county entities, as well as staff from = Mark=20 Twain St. Joseph's Hospital in San Andreas and Doctor's Hospital in=20 Modesto.

"Typically, we learn from past events in the state," = Murdock=20 said. "It's highly important to educate people in order to prepare and = be ready"=20 for an emergency.

The participants learned how to respond to a = mass=20 casualty incident requiring the need for full decontamination of = patients and=20 staff. The first two days were spent in the classroom with break-out = sessions=20 focussing on the skills needed to be a part of a hospital emergency = response=20 team, or HERT. The third day, participants "lived" the situation, so to = speak,=20 and actually dressed in high level personal protective equipment and = practiced=20 decontamination.

"We hope that we would never need (to use these=20 skills)," said Anne Platt, CEO of Sutter Amador Hospital, after she = observed one=20 of the drills. It's good, though, she added, that all these people will = be=20 comfortable using the emergency response equipment. "I really admire = health care=20 professionals for coming out here. ... I'm really glad we could host it=20 here."

"They've really coalesced over the past three days," said = public=20 health nurse Lori Jagoda. "They've really, really learned a lot, and = have really=20 come together as a team."

The exercise supports the public health = department's mission to protect, assess and promote the health and = well-being of=20 all Amador County residents, according to a news release from Sutter = Amador=20 Hospital. Funding for the training was provided by the Hospital = Preparedness=20 Program grant.

"We're slowly adding equipment," said Joyce = Friday, the=20 hospital's emergency preparedness coordinator. She and Jagoda are also = on the=20 grant committee. They will be able to add an air conditioner soon to the = tents=20 where medical professionals perform their emergency drills, she = said.

Bethany A. = Monk