Emergency workers donned hazmat suits, complete with cooling vests to beat the heat, outside of the emergency room at Valley Medical Center to help triage a number of “patients” during a Mass Casualty Exercise. The patients consisted of local nursing school students who were acting out their symptoms, including one screaming for their daughter, and several dummies, a few inflated that workers had to decontaminate.
The disaster exercise simulated an explosion at a major sporting event here in the Bay Area, according to Jennifer Tong, M.D., chief experience officer for Santa Clara Valley Healthcare and director of the disaster operations team. The injured were covered in an unknown white powder and needed to be decontaminated for possible hazardous material before entering the hospital.
“Our exercise here today is really focused on what happens after individuals arrive at the hospital,” Tong said. “They might be coming via ambulance or they might be coming via private car.
“We are focused on how we would triage those patients, for who needs to first get into the hospital most urgently and how we would ensure that those individuals are safe to enter the hospital, no longer covered in hazardous materials.”
Valley Medical typically does two to three mass casualty exercises yearly, some without the hazardous material component. About 100 emergency workers from multiple departments, including emergency, radiology, language services, social work and members of the Red Cross participated in the training.
“This is really a critical part of our readiness for any sort of major disaster incident here in the Bay Area,” said Tong. The incidents they train for can range from accidental to intentional, such as a terrorist event. They practice and prepare to save lives if they encounter such scenarios.
Lyan Cogan, registered nurse, and Mario Holguin, security with Protective Services, were confronted with a “patient” who was staggering, appeared intoxicated, belligerent and yelled profanities. She was played by nursing student Masashi Endo, from Mission College. Endo had to be “decontaminated” before entering the hospital. He appeared to make a full recovery and will be graduating from Mission College next week.
Registered nurse Lyan Cogan, left, and Mario Holguin, security with Protective Services, help a “patient” played by nursing student Masashi Endo, from Mission College, during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Jennifer Navarro, left, therapy tech, and Mary Jane Gomez, right, medical unit clerk, prepare a “patient” dummy, during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Emergency workers participate in a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Registered nurses Tony Huynh, left, and Hazel Cortes decontaminate a “patient” during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Emergency workers participate in a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Jude Finn, senior nuclear medicine technologist, uses a Geiger counter to check a “patient” during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Hazel Cortes, left, registered nurse, and Mary Jane Gomez, right, medical unit clerk, decontaminate a “patient” dummy, during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Registered nurse Craig Petersman, left, prepares a “patient” dummy, during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Registered nurse Craig Petersman is has his hazmat suit washed off during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Dr. Jennifer Tong, chief experience officer for Santa Clara Valley Healthcare and the director of disaster operations team, records emergency workers with her phone during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Jude Finn, senior nuclear medicine technologist, uses a geiger counter to check a young “patient” during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Kimberly Soria, assistant nurse manager, announces the start of a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Registered nurses Hazel Cortes gives a thumbs up after decontaminating a “patient” during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Registered nurses Lyan Cogan, left, and Jessica Frediani walk in their hazmat suits during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Registered nurse Jessica Frediani puts on her hazmat suit during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Registered nurse Jessica Frediani, right, puts on her hazmat suit with the help of Carolina Cacho, nursing quality manager, during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Registered nurses Lyan Cogan, center, and Jessica Frediani, right, put on their hazmat suits during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Jude Finn, senior nuclear medicine technologist, prepares his equipment during a Mass Casualty Exercise at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
