R7 HCC Regional Full Scale Exercise

​On April 20, 2016 Region 7 Healthcare Coalition hosted the annual Regional Full Scale Exercise. During this exercise, hospitals, EMS, Emergency Management, Public Health, and Long Term Care partners found their preparedness levels challenged. In the exercise scenario, straight winds destroyed the Region, Munson Medical Center had to evacuate patients due to infrastructure damages and there was one patient with a special pathogen that needed transport to another facility. To understand their own level of preparedness, Partners had to test their communication using 800 MHz, use of hospital Emergency plans, evacuation plans, evacuation equipment, EM Resource and EM Track, and their use of MICIMS.

In testing communications, Partners were able to see the importance in the ability of executing the plans they created. Communication failure is a high probability in any scenario and it is important to have contingencies and redundancies in place. History has an interesting way of repeating itself and the possibility of the Straight Winds Storm System from August 2, 2015 happening again is not unlikely. During that storm, many people across Northern Michigan were left without power due to the 80 mph wind gusts and ¼ inch to 2 ½ inch sized hail. The Michigan Critical Incident Management System (MI CIMS), operated and maintained by the Michigan State Police, was active with users all over the State reporting damages from the storms. Region 7 counties were active on the MI CIMS network, updating their reports as the storm system moved through the region.
 
Emergency communication systems are tested on a monthly basis in Region 7, but having exercises such as the annual, Regional Full Scale Exercise is helpful in preparing for and learning from a disaster situation. Partners who participated in the April 20th exercise utilized MICIMS once again to report updates on the mock, but previously real life disaster.  Each of the hospitals completed all injects given throughout the exercise. They successfully demonstrated their proficiency in the systems utilized by Region 7 Healthcare Coalition and the State of Michigan during an emergency.
 
Learning from the Regional Exercise, Partners realized many things, 3 of them being:

• Public Information Officers play a vital role during any incident.
• Training on the 800 MHz radios is necessary and important so users know where to position the radios within their facility for optimal performance.
• Everyone should be thinking about recovery from the very beginning of an incident, not just leading into the recovery period.

Taking all the lessons learned into consideration, participation in the Annual Regional Exercise can prove very helpful in the planning, response, and recovery processes for real world events. If an incident occurs, it involves all aspects of the community, from hospital, to EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement, Public Health, and Mental Health. With such a variety of key players, it is vital to real world response to bring everyone together for the opportunity to train and practice their plans and procedures and modes of communication. Region 7 Healthcare Coalition aims to provide this training on an annual basis to all Regional Partners who are interested in being involved.