Eastern Plumas Health Care has scheduled live emergency evacuation drills at its skilled nursing facilities in Portola and Loyalton from 2:00 – 3:00 pm April 9.
The California Department of Health requires EPHC to have at least two disaster drills each year – one live and one tabletop exercise. Given the severity of the brutal storm that ripped through northern California last February, officials opted to go live twice in 2015.
EPHC’s Regina Martinez said this is the first time the hospital has taken the lead on organizing such an event by itself.
“We’ve always participated in the county’s drills in the past,” said Martinez, EPHC’s disaster drill co-coordinator. “This is the first time we’ve had one on our own and we’ve invited our partners to participate.”
The guest list includes Plumas County Office of Emergency Services, city officials, the Portola Fire Department and the Sheriff’s Office. Representatives from the various agencies recently met to outline areas to be examined during the upcoming drill, including moving ambulatory and non-ambulatory evacuees, proper functioning of ramps, patient identification, emergency communications and post-disaster care.
Specific procedures and details within each of those categories will be scrutinized as well.
“It’s good to know what each partner can expect from the other entities,” said Tom Hayes, EPHC chief executive officer. “We need to be prepared and start thinking about how we can improve on the things we learned from the last storm.”
Assistant Sheriff Gerry Hendrick agreed, adding that the community’s remote location requires emergency crews to be on high alert and highly efficient.
“We’re isolated and we need to be more self-sufficient in this rural area,” he explained. “We need to do better with other alternatives.”
EPHC is also working with Portola’s Public Works Department and Liberty Utilities to open a warming station in the hospital’s Education Center if and when disaster strikes. The center is intended to serve individuals without heat and provide a power source for medical needs such as mechanical oxygen regulators.
Ann Powers
Portola Reporter