Preparing for the worst –– GRMC to participate in regional emergency practice
(Seguin) — While it might look like a real emergency, the public can rest assure that there will not be a mass injuring disaster this Thursday over at GRMC.
Beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday, Guadalupe Regional Medical Center (GRMC) will be taking part in a mock disaster drill in conjunction with Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (aka STRAC) and other hospitals in its trauma service area.
According to hospital officials, the goal of conducting the exercise is to provide local hospitals the opportunity to assess their emergency response, coordination of staff and recovery efforts should a real crisis occur; and to provide STRAC an opportunity to test communication and resource management in the trauma service area.
The drill will focus on response plans for a multi-casualty event in the community which would trigger a sudden influx of patients, media, and concerned community members. This training exercise will include front line hospital staff, contract security, and volunteers.
Hospital officials say they caution community members to expect to see emergency responders at GRMC looking and acting as if there were a true disaster. Signage will be placed throughout the facility to notify those present about the exercise.
More importantly, they say regular emergency department operations and patient care throughout the hospital facility will continue as usual during Thursday’s drill.