Local hospital and police department prepare for chemical decontamination response with training exercise

Local police and hospital staff prepare for chemical decontamination. From left to right: Randy Clark, MBA, president of Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital; Roy Combs, EMT, Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital; on stretcher, Pittsfield Police Chief Vincente Morris; Doug Marston, manager, Security and Emergency Preparedness, Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital. Back of tent, Kim Hart, RN, BSN, director of Emergency Department, Emergency Management, and Clinical Education, Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital. (contributed photo)

Recently, Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital staff and the Pittsfield Police Department trained on setting up a chemical exposure decontamination tent and stations, such as triage and staging area, at the hospital located in Pittsfield. Emergency preparedness is critical for staff to coordinate responses and to improve skills and familiarity with equipment and procedures so that they are not attempting something new during the stress of an emergency.

This training exercise was setup in the event of a chemical explosion or spill with multiple patients exposed, including emergency personnel who could also be potentially exposed while treating patients at the scene. The training consisted of going over the decontamination trailer and supplies, safety protocols, and appropriate personal protective equipment; the process to safely remove contaminants from exposed individuals; and walking through different scenarios.

“This joint exercise highlights our ongoing commitment to emergency preparedness. By coordinating decontamination procedures between the emergency management team, EMS, the hospital, and the Pittsfield Police Department, we are ensuring that our systems, personnel, and partnerships are ready to respond swiftly and effectively when real emergencies arise,” shares Kimberly Hart, RN, BSN, director of Emergency Department, Emergency Management, and Clinical Education at Sebasticook Valley Hospital.

“Practice and partnerships are essential for success in emergency situations,” explains Chief Vincente Morris from the Pittsfield Police Department. The training proved invaluable to Sebasticook Valley Hospital staff and first responders in 2017 when there was an explosion at a fertilizer plant in Detroit and the decontamination tent was required to assist in the emergency. Sebasticook Valley Hospital sees more than 12,000 patients through their emergency department each year. With the highway in close proximity, chemical and fertilizer plants located in the area, and a flight path above the hospital, it is only a matter of time before a chemical explosion or spill occurs. With this training, hospital and police staff will be prepared should a chemical event occur in the future.

For more information and services offered at Northern Light Sebasticook Valley, please visit northernlighthealth.org/Sebasticook.