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Emergency preparedness officials say they were pleased with the performance of Stanford’s two hospitals during an annual emergency drill on Nov. 15, adding that the events of Sept. 11 underscored the importance of being prepared to respond to a catastrophe. All hospitals throughout California staged similar drills on Nov. 15 for a scenario in which multiple victims were exposed to a chemical. At Stanford, the scenario involved a tanker truck carrying anhydrous ammonia that had been involved in an accident on Campus Drive, causing skin burns and breathing problems for the mock victims as well as sending a cloud of the toxic vapor toward the two hospitals. Per Schenck, disaster preparedness coordinator for Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, said the staffs at both hospitals took the drill seriously and responded appropriately throughout the one-hour exercise. The exercise itself involved departments throughout the medical center and made use of volunteers who played the role of "victims." "I think the events in September reinforced the need to be as prepared as possible for disaster situations," Schenck said. "I think our staffs did a great job during the drill."
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 Emergency drill prepares School of Medicine for disaster |
Stanford Report, November 28, 2001
