ORLANDO, Fla. — Doctors, nurses and other medical staff prepared for a worst-case scenario at Orlando Health on Wednesday.
- The mock-disaster drill helps train medical staff of catastrophes
- Orlando Health has experience in disaster, like the Pulse shooting
They are making sure they are ready in case they have to deal with an influx of patients.
Orlando Health has some experience dealing with mass causality events, like the Pulse nightclub terror shooting back in 2016.
However, they are continuing to train, just in case they have to deal with another crisis like a mass shooting or a hurricane.
On Wednesday, they held a mock disaster drill. Hospitals are busy on a normal day, so to deal with a surge of patients, they set up an Alternate Medical Treatment Site where there are large tents for patient triage and treatment.
Actors and dummies were used with a variety of ailments. Those with more serious injures can be transported to the hospital for more intensive care.
Orlando Health stated that past experiences have prepared them to deal with anything that comes their way.
"We learned a lot from Pulse, here today you're going to find a translation services right down here, we needed that during Pulse, another one is caring for the families of the victims, we actually have a component here with our chaplains and crisis care and be able to support our community," said Orlando Health Emergency Manager Eric Alberts.
They also tested medical staff's ability to deployment the equipment rapidly, such as setting up a mobile medical unit in just an hour and a half.
The Orange County Commission provided the mobile medical tent equipment to Orlando Health.
Local emergency responders also joined hospital staff in the exercise.