Resident physicians, medical students, hospital staff and first responders from the surrounding community took part in a hazardous materials response drill on the campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
The May 18 exercise, which coincided with National EMS Week, also included more than a dozen volunteer “victims.” It was designed to provide emergency medicine residents with training in disaster management and care of patients who have been involved in mass casualty incidents, allowing for an opportunity to make mistakes in a safe environment that does not place real patients at risk.
The simulation was followed by a debrief session to discuss successes and opportunities for improvement.
The Derry Township Fire Department, Dauphin County’s Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team and the Medical Center’s decontamination team all participated in the exercise.