A few weeks ago, our Office of
Emergency Services, Sheriff, Department of Public Health and local first responders gave
the Board of Supervisors a demonstration of the equipment that has been purchased with
Homeland Security (HS) dollars. It was very impressive. It should be noted that HS grants
may only be used for purposes specified by Congress and could not be used for ordinary
equipment for our fire fighters and ambulance crews.
A large decontamination tent had been set up within the armory. This
could be used to remove contamination from a chemical, biological or radioactive incident.
It contains a series of showers and open tubs. Inmates from the Deadwood Conservation camp
were processed by first responders in blue “space suits.” I was told that, if
patients can walk, they can clean about 50 people an hour. There is also the capability of
cleaning the disabled or unconscious. All of this equipment is stored in a portable
trailer.
The next tent was a heated hospital tent with about 10 cots and a
generator. I was told that each hospital has two of them. They can be used for “surge”
capacity to extend available beds in case of some calamity.
There was a display of various walkie talkies, satellite phones and
other communication devices. The satellite phones can keep the County in touch with the 13
other counties in OES region 3. As we saw in New Orleans, maintaining communication
between the field, local, state and federal decision makers is vital in a disaster.
The Command Trailer was interesting. It has a meeting room complete
with kitchenette and small sleeping area. A self-contained generator operates a special
communications room. Capabilities include radio contact with local fire, sheriff and
government radios, as well as HAM radio connections with the Dorris, Tulelake and Happy
Camp clinics. (Several Public Health employees are now HAM operators.) We were given
demonstration of mapping software that can zoom in on a particular terrain.
One of the most fascinating presentations was the multi-casualty
capacity of a unit from Northern Siskiyou Ambulance. This unit might be called out on a
forest fire, train derailment or car accident where many are injured. The trailer has
enough supplies for basic life support (food, water, blankets, diapers, tp,) for more than
50 people. It also contains a 10 man tent. For
the first responders, the trailer contains “Go kits” – orange bags with
bandages, splints, masks and medical supplies. In addition, the kit has flash lights,
sleeping bags, personal supplies and communication devices. With the trailer and Go kits,
a “strike team” can sustain itself for 72 hours.
As first responders are issued their Go kit, they also are assigned a
specific role or job and given a kit with all the necessary information and instructions
about that job. The Incident Commander keeps track of all assignments on a board.
I was given a short briefing of the concept of “triage.”
This is a seemingly harsh, but necessary, rapid assessment in a mass casualty situation as
to which patients are “salvageable” and which are not. Patients are separated
into: (1) the walking wounded; (2) those who can’t walk with injuries such as
fractures or wounds; (3) those who face imminent death. Patients are constantly triaged
for changes in their status. A board is used to keep track of patients and where they are
in the process - staging, loading, transporting
or arrival.
The last presentation was by the Sheriff’s SWAT team. This
included their new ballistic blanket, which can be used as a protective shield for
personnel and their vehicles. There was also some interesting new surveillance equipment.
The Board of Supervisors has asked me to work with the various
departments to take a look at our disaster and emergency plans. I am currently working
with Lt. John Villani of the Sheriff’s Dept. and hope to have a public presentation
on planning and readiness in the near future. |
