Medical staff participate in a decontamination drill at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. Photo: Gina Yarbrough/San Diego County News
ESCONDIDO—Palomar Medical Center in Escondido conducted a decontamination drill outside the center on Friday and Saturday.
Approximately 40 medical staff members from Palomar and other North County medical centers donned full hazmat suits to train in the annual 16-hour decontamination drill. The training prepares and educates the staff in proper disaster preparedness in emergency rooms with hazardous chemicals.
Staff members in hazmat suits, PAPR masks, gloves and boots, entered a decontamination trailer to rinse off and care for individuals contaminated with hazardous materials. After properly disposing their contaminated clothing, the individuals were escorted to a disaster surge tent.
Course instructor Nick Vent said the drill is required training for medical staffs in preparation for disasters.
“Planning is more important than the plan,” Vent said. “Planning for a chemical response makes us better able to respond to an anthrax.”
Health officials say disaster preparedness is vital, especially with the recent Ebola outbreak that has hit Dallas, Texas. Decontamination drills provide hospital staff with the opportunity to practice and test decontamination capabilities based on extensive training and education. These exercises are the primary tool for assessing preparedness and identifying areas for improvement.
